Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hereford Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hereford

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,356 in Barcelona versus $2,313 in Hereford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,455 in Barcelona versus $3,402 in Hereford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,553 in Barcelona versus $4,492 in Hereford.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 2% more expensive than Hereford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Hereford 72% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.64 โ‚ฌ15.01
$20.65 ยฃ15.30
-14.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 โ‚ฌ58.0
$99.5 ยฃ73.7
-31.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.96 โ‚ฌ11.88
$8.99 ยฃ6.66
55.28%
Cappuccino
$2.76 โ‚ฌ2.35
$4.16 ยฃ3.08
-33.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 โ‚ฌ2.35
$1.95 ยฃ1.45
41.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 โ‚ฌ1.67
$1.72 ยฃ1.28
14.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.53 โ‚ฌ3.85
$5.79 ยฃ4.29
-21.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 โ‚ฌ3.85
$5.99 ยฃ4.44
-24.37%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 โ‚ฌ1.05
$1.29 ยฃ0.96
-3.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.04 โ‚ฌ1.73
$1.54 ยฃ1.14
32.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 โ‚ฌ1.63
$3.29 ยฃ2.44
-41.95%
Eggs
$3.39 โ‚ฌ2.89
$4.06 ยฃ3.01
-16.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.34 โ‚ฌ15.60
$19.59 ยฃ14.51
-6.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.39 โ‚ฌ7.99
$9.32 ยฃ6.91
0.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.90 โ‚ฌ16.08
$14.16 ยฃ10.49
33.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 โ‚ฌ2.23
$3.34 ยฃ2.48
-21.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 โ‚ฌ2.04
$1.19 ยฃ0.89
101.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.80
$1.10 ยฃ0.82
92.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.70 โ‚ฌ2.30
$4.92 ยฃ3.64
-45.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 โ‚ฌ1.75
$0.99 ยฃ0.73
107.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 โ‚ฌ1.52
$1.06 ยฃ0.79
67.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 โ‚ฌ1.25
$1.01 ยฃ0.75
45.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 โ‚ฌ0.77
$1.40 ยฃ1.04
-35.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.01 โ‚ฌ5.97
$19.66 ยฃ14.57
-64.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.59 โ‚ฌ6.46
$10.59 ยฃ7.85
-28.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 โ‚ฌ1.22
$3.43 ยฃ2.54
-58.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 โ‚ฌ1.97
$3.65 ยฃ2.71
-36.44%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.94 โ‚ฌ2.50
$3.83 ยฃ2.83
-23.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.38 โ‚ฌ25.00
$87.3 ยฃ64.7
-66.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.53 โ‚ฌ3.85
$6.45 ยฃ4.78
-29.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 โ‚ฌ1.82
$1.82 ยฃ1.35
17.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.97 โ‚ฌ24.65
$20.51 ยฃ15.20
41.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 โ‚ฌ1.61
$1.93 ยฃ1.43
-2.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K โ‚ฌ33.2K
$39.0K ยฃ28.9K
0.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K โ‚ฌ27.6K
$40.9K ยฃ30.3K
-20.62%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 โ‚ฌ161
$377 ยฃ279
-49.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.24 โ‚ฌ18.92
$38.58 ยฃ28.59
-42.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.57 โ‚ฌ31.12
$39.88 ยฃ29.55
-8.30%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.0 โ‚ฌ49.38
$56.9 ยฃ42.17
1.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.30 โ‚ฌ18.13
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.01 โ‚ฌ9.37
$16.46 ยฃ12.20
-33.11%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$731 โ‚ฌ622
$1,611 ยฃ1,194
-54.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K โ‚ฌ12.6K
$18.6K ยฃ13.8K
-20.40%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.3 โ‚ฌ76.0
$82.8 ยฃ61.4
7.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.38 โ‚ฌ31.81
$40.99 ยฃ30.37
-8.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 โ‚ฌ89.0
$80.7 ยฃ59.8
29.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 โ‚ฌ99.0
$85.4 ยฃ63.3
36.18%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,551 โ‚ฌ1,320
$988 ยฃ732
56.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,216 โ‚ฌ1,035
$920 ยฃ682
32.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,799 โ‚ฌ2,382
$1,626 ยฃ1,205
72.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,008 โ‚ฌ1,709
$1,389 ยฃ1,029
44.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,161 โ‚ฌ6,094
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,021 โ‚ฌ4,273
-
-
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Hereford
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,462 โ‚ฌ2,095
$2,791 ยฃ2,068
-11.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.39
7.15
-52.59%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Barcelona: April 13, 2026

Last update for Hereford: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Barcelona and $988 in Hereford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hereford pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68 in Barcelona vs $100 in Hereford for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $330 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 Hereford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Hereford?
Barcelona and Hereford differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,356 vs $2,313 including rent). Hereford is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Hereford earns 13% 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 Hereford?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,551 in Barcelona versus $988 in Hereford. 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 Hereford?
Childcare runs $731 in Barcelona versus $1,611 in Hereford. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $2,313 in Hereford versus $2,356 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hereford but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hereford the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Hereford?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Barcelona or Hereford safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Hereford 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 Hereford?
Expats usually find Hereford gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 2% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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