Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ipswich Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ipswich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,092 in Ipswich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $2,944 in Ipswich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,797 in Ipswich.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 18% more expensive than in Ipswich, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Ipswich 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.33

$31.61 A$44.58

-40.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.6

$75.5 A$106

-7.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €12.00

$9.87 A$13.91

39.51%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.54 A$6.41

-31.72%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$3.84 A$5.41

-26.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$2.52 A$3.56

-25.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$9.08 A$12.81

-56.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$8.16 A$11.51

-44.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.55 A$3.60

-50.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.48 A$3.50

-12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$2.33 A$3.29

-24.46%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$7.40 A$10.43

-30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.59

$7.65 A$10.79

133.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$8.49 A$11.98

13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.56

$14.54 A$20.50

38.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.84

$3.39 A$4.78

-4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.65 A$3.73

-15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.88 A$4.06

-9.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$3.85 A$5.43

-28.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.04 A$2.88

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$2.18 A$3.07

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.45 A$3.46

-36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.82 A$2.56

-47.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$45.08 A$63.6

-83.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$22.56 A$31.81

-64.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$6.32 A$8.91

-75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$7.34 A$10.35

-61.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$0.34 A$0.48

814.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$2.17 A$3.06

50.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.61 A$2.26

-8.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.88

$36.39 A$51.3

-5.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.44 A$2.03

20.14%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

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

$30.5K €26.6K

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

$187 €163

$93.8 A$132

99.36%

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

$15.14 €13.20

$31.65 A$44.64

-52.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.85

$64.8 A$91.4

-41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.76

$17.97 A$25.35

211.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.95

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

$997 €869

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.93

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,488

$1,048 A$1,479

62.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,121

$1,030 A$1,453

24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,236

$1,439 A$2,029

78.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,693

$1,424 A$2,008

36.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,047

$4,307 A$6,074

-45.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

5.98

-47.16%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ipswich: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,048 in Ipswich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ipswich 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 $75.0 in Ipswich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $395 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 Ipswich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ipswich differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $2,092 including rent). Ipswich is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Ipswich. 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,048 in Ipswich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ipswich – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,476 per month in Barcelona versus $2,092 in Ipswich – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,092 in Ipswich versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ipswich but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ipswich 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 Ipswich 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 Ipswich gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.