Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hamm Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hamm

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $1,493 in Hamm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $2,243 in Hamm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,994 in Hamm.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 66% more expensive than in Hamm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Hamm 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.24

$13.76 €11.93

36.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.2

$70.0 €60.6

-0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.93

$18.70 €16.20

-26.36%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.69

$4.69 €4.06

-33.90%

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

$2.83 €2.45

$2.81 €2.44

0.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.63

$2.57 €2.23

-26.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.45

$2.96 €2.56

34.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.93

$4.03 €3.49

12.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.87

$2.08 €1.80

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$3.98 €3.45

-55.78%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.44

$3.62 €3.13

41.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.50

$14.62 €12.67

22.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.37

$10.93 €9.47

-11.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.46

$26.35 €22.84

-23.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.82

$3.51 €3.04

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.93

$2.29 €1.99

-2.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$2.35 €2.04

10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.39

$4.26 €3.69

-35.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$1.52 €1.31

45.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$1.25 €1.08

69.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.79 €1.55

-13.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.03 €0.89

-7.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.36

$9.46 €8.19

-22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €6.97

$7.05 €6.11

14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.09 €0.94

41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.42

$1.39 €1.20

100.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.69

$3.22 €2.79

-3.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.41

$61.3 €53.1

-57.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.84

$5.12 €4.44

-36.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.29 €1.99

-35.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.70

$34.43 €29.83

-0.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$2.19 €1.90

-21.00%

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

$36.4K €31.5K

$33.4K €28.9K

8.89%

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

$30.5K €26.5K

$40.0K €34.7K

-23.70%

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

$187 €162

$470 €408

-60.24%

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

$15.14 €13.12

$26.04 €22.56

-41.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.66

$42.76 €37.05

-11.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.48

$28.69 €24.87

94.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.81

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.89

$13.75 €11.92

-17.02%

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

$997 €864

$172 €149

481.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.3K

$26.1K €22.6K

-36.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.3

$100 €86.9

-7.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.72

$50.9 €44.10

-18.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.4

$115 €99.6

-3.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €108

$199 €173

-37.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,479

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,223

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,683

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,627

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,478

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,035

$2,102 €1,821

11.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

3.96

-20.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hamm: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Barcelona pays 12% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $70.0 in Hamm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $352 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 Hamm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hamm differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $1,493 including rent). Hamm is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $172 in Hamm. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,493 in Hamm versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamm but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hamm 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 Hamm 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 Hamm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.