Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hickory, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Hickory, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $2,053 in Hickory, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $2,876 in Hickory, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,700 in Hickory, NC.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 21% more expensive than in Hickory, NC, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Hickory, NC 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$15.08 $15.08

22.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$59.0 $59.0

17.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$11.11 $11.11

26.46%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$5.23 $5.23

-40.54%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$2.80 $2.80

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$2.22 $2.22

-12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$5.65 $5.65

-29.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$6.43 $6.43

-28.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$0.83 $0.83

59.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.45 $2.45

-13.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$4.60 $4.60

-60.22%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$3.47 $3.47

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$10.35 $10.35

69.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$11.11 $11.11

-14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$15.96 $15.96

24.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$5.17 $5.17

-38.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$1.62 $1.62

36.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.43 $2.43

7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.76 $1.76

61.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$3.20 $3.20

-32.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$4.31 $4.31

-51.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.97 $1.97

-17.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.96 $1.96

-55.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$8.64 $8.64

-17.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$15.84 $15.84

-47.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.84 $1.84

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.72 $2.72

1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$1.23 $1.23

155.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

$45.12 $45.12

-41.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$2.02 $2.02

59.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.52 $1.52

-0.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$18.31 $18.31

92.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.78 $0.78

124.36%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

2.48%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$24.8K $24.8K

27.52%

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

$187 €161

$140 $140

33.30%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$59.6 $59.6

-74.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$54.2 $54.2

-30.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$27.71 $27.71

100.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$14.87 $14.87

-21.25%

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

$1,011 €871

$349 $349

189.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$22.3K $22.3K

-23.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$39.87 $39.87

129.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$20.35 $20.35

101.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$39.42 $39.42

180.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$51.0 $51.0

147.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$1,117 $1,117

52.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$995 $995

30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,587 $1,587

63.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$1,337 $1,337

44.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$2,241 $2,241

245.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$2,117 $2,117

154.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$4,485 $4,485

-47.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

5.23

-39.58%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hickory, NC: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $1,117 in Hickory, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hickory, NC pays 89% 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 $59.0 in Hickory, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $350, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hickory, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hickory, NC differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $2,053 including rent). Hickory, NC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Hickory, NC. 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $1,117 in Hickory, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $349 in Hickory, NC. 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 $2,053 in Hickory, NC versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Hickory, NC but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Hickory, NC 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 Hickory, NC 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 Hickory, NC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.