Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hamilton Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hamilton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $4,831 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $9,260 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $13.7K in Hamilton.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 51% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Hamilton 261% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.12

$60.6 BMD 60.6

-70.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €58.9

$177 BMD 177

-61.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.09

$14.87 BMD 14.87

-5.45%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.39

$6.46 BMD 6.46

-56.97%

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

$2.80 €2.41

$3.37 BMD 3.37

-16.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.90 BMD 2.90

-28.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.84

$10.16 BMD 10.16

-56.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.96

$8.44 BMD 8.44

-45.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.07

$4.38 BMD 4.38

-71.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.74

$8.71 BMD 8.71

-76.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$5.59 BMD 5.59

-65.65%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$7.75 BMD 7.75

-57.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.85

$11.49 BMD 11.49

60.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.16

$24.12 BMD 24.12

-60.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.48

$31.75 BMD 31.75

-39.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$10.16 BMD 10.16

-74.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$6.18 BMD 6.18

-60.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.82

$12.86 BMD 12.86

-83.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.45

$11.27 BMD 11.27

-74.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$8.15 BMD 8.15

-74.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$4.96 BMD 4.96

-62.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.26

$6.06 BMD 6.06

-75.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$3.21 BMD 3.21

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.14

$17.58 BMD 17.58

-59.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.78

$24.56 BMD 24.56

-67.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.19

$5.47 BMD 5.47

-74.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.99

$4.43 BMD 4.43

-47.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.56

$4.81 BMD 4.81

-38.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.17

$68.1 BMD 68.1

-57.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.95

$6.40 BMD 6.40

-28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$3.44 BMD 3.44

-39.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.10

$54.8 BMD 54.8

-46.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.36 BMD 2.36

-22.03%

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

$39.0K €33.6K

$35.0K BMD 35.0K

11.37%

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

$32.7K €28.1K

$39.7K BMD 39.7K

-17.71%

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

$188 €162

$234 BMD 234

-19.83%

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

$22.93 €19.73

$117 BMD 117

-80.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.58

$156 BMD 156

-76.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.35

$191 BMD 191

-70.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.80

$32.31 BMD 32.31

-35.93%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.63

$13.73 BMD 13.73

-18.50%

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

$721 €620

$1,338 BMD 1,338

-46.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$24.5K BMD 24.5K

-38.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.2

$78.8 BMD 78.8

9.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €31.89

$60.9 BMD 60.9

-39.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$138 BMD 138

-25.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.7

$126 BMD 126

-7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,319

$3,342 BMD 3,342

-54.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,050

$2,198 BMD 2,198

-44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,319

$8,541 BMD 8,541

-68.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,732

$7,359 BMD 7,359

-72.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,211

$15.1K BMD 15.1K

-52.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,463

$9,439 BMD 9,439

-45.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,029

$6,759 BMD 6,759

-65.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

7.22

-53.05%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $3,342 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 186% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $177 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $813 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hamilton differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $4,831 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hamilton earns 186% less. 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $3,342 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $1,338 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 156% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Hamilton 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.