😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,869 in Hamilton.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,967 in Hamilton.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $4,066 in Hamilton.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 25% more expensive than Hamilton, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona75% above, Hamilton40% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61€15.04
$13.89NZ$23.61
26.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7€58.7
$85.0NZ$145
-19.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75€11.74
$8.86NZ$15.07
55.19%
Cappuccino
$2.76€2.36
$3.69NZ$6.27
-25.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.38
$2.41NZ$4.10
15.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.75
$2.88NZ$4.90
-28.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61€3.93
$6.73NZ$11.43
-31.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€3.92
$5.99NZ$10.19
-23.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.09
$1.60NZ$2.71
-20.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.80
$1.30NZ$2.22
62.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97€1.68
$1.94NZ$3.29
1.55%
Eggs
$3.44€2.94
$6.04NZ$10.27
-43.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83€16.08
$5.65NZ$9.61
233.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45€8.07
$8.19NZ$13.92
15.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01€16.24
$11.21NZ$19.05
69.58%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72€2.32
$2.68NZ$4.56
1.49%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$2.96NZ$5.03
-19.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08€1.77
$3.05NZ$5.18
-31.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76€2.36
$6.49NZ$11.03
-57.47%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97€1.68
$2.26NZ$3.84
-12.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$1.91NZ$3.24
-6.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.29
$2.72NZ$4.62
-44.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.77
$1.03NZ$1.76
-12.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76€5.77
$25.68NZ$43.66
-73.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55€6.44
$11.20NZ$19.04
-32.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44€1.23
$3.46NZ$5.87
-58.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41€2.06
$4.42NZ$7.51
-45.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03€2.59
$1.63NZ$2.77
85.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39€24.25
$47.48NZ$80.7
-40.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43€3.78
$4.25NZ$7.23
4.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05€1.75
$1.98NZ$3.37
3.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33€25.05
$42.54NZ$72.3
-31.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89€1.61
$1.72NZ$2.92
9.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K€33.1K
$23.4KNZ$39.8K
65.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K€27.6K
$22.6KNZ$38.4K
43.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189€161
$93.9NZ$160
100.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21€18.96
$39.03NZ$66.4
-43.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82€31.44
$54.2NZ$92.1
-32.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0€49.52
$32.44NZ$55.2
78.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99€17.93
$16.44NZ$27.95
27.68%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05€9.44
$13.38NZ$22.74
-17.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726€620
$835NZ$1,419
-12.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.0K
$17.9KNZ$30.5K
-15.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3€75.4
$63.0NZ$107
40.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98€31.58
$41.00NZ$69.7
-9.80%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€87.6
$88.2NZ$150
16.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€102
$114NZ$194
4.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526€1,304
$958NZ$1,629
59.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218€1,040
$878NZ$1,492
38.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794€2,386
$1,249NZ$2,123
123.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027€1,731
$1,615NZ$2,746
25.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094€6,058
$5,675NZ$9,647
25.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849€4,141
$4,916NZ$8,358
-1.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Hamilton
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404€2,053
$2,673NZ$4,545
-10.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
6.83
-50.37%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Hamilton: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $958 in Hamilton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Hamilton pays 11% 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 $85.0 in Hamilton. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $311, with Hamilton cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Barcelona vs Hamilton: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Hamilton?
Barcelona and Hamilton differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,869 including rent). Hamilton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Hamilton earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Hamilton?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $958 in Hamilton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Hamilton?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $835 in Hamilton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,869 in Hamilton versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Hamilton but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hamilton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Hamilton?
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.
Is Barcelona or Hamilton safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Hamilton?
Expats usually find Hamilton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Barcelona vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado