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: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,281 in Hickory, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $3,193 in Hickory, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $4,105 in Hickory, NC.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 3% more expensive than Hickory, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Hickory, NC 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$19.94 $19.94

-11.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$70.1 $70.1

-2.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$10.85 $10.85

26.73%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$5.70 $5.70

-51.58%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$2.69 $2.69

3.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.29 $2.29

-10.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$6.11 $6.11

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$6.92 $6.92

-33.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.97 $0.97

31.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$3.78 $3.78

-44.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$4.63 $4.63

-57.45%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$2.46 $2.46

39.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$12.86 $12.86

46.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$9.06 $9.06

4.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$19.30 $19.30

-1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$5.76 $5.76

-52.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.27 $1.27

86.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$7.17 $7.17

-70.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$5.87 $5.87

-52.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$4.80 $4.80

-58.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.78 $3.78

-52.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$1.93 $1.93

-21.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$2.20 $2.20

-59.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$6.87 $6.87

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$14.87 $14.87

-49.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.69 $1.69

-14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.06 $3.06

-21.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.26 $1.26

140.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$44.15 $44.15

-35.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$3.40 $3.40

30.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.51 $1.51

35.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$17.90 $17.90

63.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.80 $0.80

136.25%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$36.2K $36.2K

7.08%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

32.18%

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

$189 €161

$154 $154

22.10%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$54.2 $54.2

-59.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$61.6 $61.6

-40.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$34.85 $34.85

66.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$13.14 $13.14

-15.91%

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

$726 €622

$1,677 $1,677

-56.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$10.0K $10.0K

51.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$47.53 $47.53

85.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$44.97 $44.97

-17.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$95.9 $95.9

6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$139 $139

-14.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$1,212 $1,212

25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$969 $969

25.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$1,933 $1,933

44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$1,323 $1,323

53.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$2,206 $2,206

221.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$2,137 $2,137

126.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$4,395 $4,395

-45.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.85

-30.10%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Hickory, NC: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $1,212 in Hickory, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hickory, NC pays 83% 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 $70.0 in Hickory, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $413 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 Hickory, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Hickory, NC differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $2,281 including rent). Hickory, NC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Hickory, NC earns 83% less. 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,212 in Hickory, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $1,677 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 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,281 in Hickory, NC versus $2,341 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 3% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.