Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Glendale, AZ Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Glendale, AZ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $2,170 in Glendale, AZ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $3,471 in Glendale, AZ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $4,772 in Glendale, AZ.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 15% more expensive than in Glendale, AZ, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Glendale, AZ 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$15.07 $15.07

22.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$63.0 $63.0

9.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

$12.67 $12.67

11.52%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$5.41 $5.41

-42.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.59

$2.18 $2.18

38.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.97 $1.97

-0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$6.84 $6.84

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

$7.60 $7.60

-37.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$3.28 $3.28

-34.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$5.06 $5.06

-66.60%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$4.79 $4.79

2.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$13.25 $13.25

34.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$11.36 $11.36

-15.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$17.17 $17.17

12.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$4.49 $4.49

-27.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.88 $1.88

15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$3.91 $3.91

-31.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$4.11 $4.11

-32.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.58 $2.58

-14.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.78 $2.78

-21.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.06 $2.06

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$2.09 $2.09

-55.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

$10.58 $10.58

-32.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

$13.61 $13.61

-40.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.78 $1.78

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.67 $3.67

-24.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$1.95 $1.95

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

$2.69 $2.69

20.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.35 $1.35

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

$35.54 $35.54

-1.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.92 $0.92

90.22%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.7K €31.5K

$36.7K $36.7K

-0.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.9K €26.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

21.94%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$188 €161

$197 $197

-4.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.44 €13.27

$47.50 $47.50

-67.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$65.8 $65.8

-42.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

$34.64 $34.64

65.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

$10.13 $10.13

14.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,003 €862

$1,111 $1,111

-9.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$15.7K $15.7K

8.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

$54.1 $54.1

64.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

$42.95 $42.95

-4.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$91.2 $91.2

20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$106 $106

16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$1,369 $1,369

22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$1,001 $1,001

32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$2,465 $2,465

5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$2,159 $2,159

-9.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$3,759 $3,759

-36.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.06

-47.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Glendale, AZ: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $1,369 in Glendale, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, AZ pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $63.0 in Glendale, AZ. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $390, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Barcelona vs Glendale, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Glendale, AZ differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $2,170 including rent). Glendale, AZ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Glendale, AZ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $1,369 in Glendale, AZ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $1,111 in Glendale, AZ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Glendale, AZ – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,170 in Glendale, AZ versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Glendale, AZ but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Glendale, AZ the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Glendale, AZ are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Glendale, AZ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.