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: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $4,842 in Hamilton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $9,251 in Hamilton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $13.7K in Hamilton.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 52% less than in Hamilton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Hamilton 262% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$59.9 BMD 59.9

-70.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$177 BMD 177

-60.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$15.27 BMD 15.27

-7.27%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$6.40 BMD 6.40

-56.25%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$3.50 BMD 3.50

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$2.98 BMD 2.98

-30.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$10.17 BMD 10.17

-54.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$8.41 BMD 8.41

-44.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$4.34 BMD 4.34

-71.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$9.00 BMD 9.00

-77.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$5.37 BMD 5.37

-63.13%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$7.57 BMD 7.57

-53.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$11.68 BMD 11.68

56.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$24.47 BMD 24.47

-59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$31.87 BMD 31.87

-39.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$10.38 BMD 10.38

-73.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$6.27 BMD 6.27

-62.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$12.59 BMD 12.59

-83.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$11.30 BMD 11.30

-75.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$8.40 BMD 8.40

-76.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$4.98 BMD 4.98

-64.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$5.83 BMD 5.83

-74.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$3.20 BMD 3.20

-71.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$17.49 BMD 17.49

-59.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$24.59 BMD 24.59

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$5.26 BMD 5.26

-73.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$4.63 BMD 4.63

-48.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$4.80 BMD 4.80

-37.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$70.1 BMD 70.1

-58.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$6.09 BMD 6.09

-28.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.43 BMD 3.43

-37.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$54.2 BMD 54.2

-45.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$2.37 BMD 2.37

-23.21%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$34.4K BMD 34.4K

10.19%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$39.6K BMD 39.6K

-18.25%

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

$189 €166

$234 BMD 234

-19.20%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$121 BMD 121

-81.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$154 BMD 154

-75.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$185 BMD 185

-68.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

$32.99 BMD 32.99

-37.37%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$13.72 BMD 13.72

-20.77%

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

$706 €618

$1,339 BMD 1,339

-47.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$24.6K BMD 24.6K

-39.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$78.5 BMD 78.5

14.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$61.1 BMD 61.1

-40.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$135 BMD 135

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$130 BMD 130

-7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$3,377 BMD 3,377

-53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$2,260 BMD 2,260

-45.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$8,611 BMD 8,611

-68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$7,542 BMD 7,542

-72.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$14.6K BMD 14.6K

-48.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$9,325 BMD 9,325

-43.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$6,684 BMD 6,684

-64.64%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $3,377 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 183% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $177 in Hamilton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $816 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 109% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $4,842 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 183% lower in Hamilton. 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $3,377 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $1,339 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 155% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,320 in Barcelona versus $4,842 in Hamilton, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 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 109% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.