Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Islip, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Islip, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,056 in Islip, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $1,685 in Islip, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $2,314 in Islip, NY.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 135% more expensive than in Islip, NY, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Islip, NY is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$19.64 $19.64

-6.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$58.9 $58.9

17.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$11.21 $11.21

25.33%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$3.94 $3.94

-21.07%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$2.03 $2.03

45.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.54 $1.54

26.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$8.18 $8.18

-51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$7.92 $7.92

-41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$0.75 $0.75

76.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.69 $2.69

-21.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$4.22 $4.22

-56.64%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.23 $2.23

131.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$12.32 $12.32

42.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$6.16 $6.16

54.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$11.11 $11.11

79.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$4.36 $4.36

-27.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$1.29 $1.29

71.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.13 $2.13

22.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.78 $2.78

2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.72 $1.72

26.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.24 $2.24

-5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.49 $1.49

8.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.06 $1.06

-16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$11.28 $11.28

-36.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$12.78 $12.78

-34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.71 $1.71

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$5.49 $5.49

-49.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$4.46 $4.46

-29.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$3.08 $3.08

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$2.00 $2.00

-24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$23.74 $23.74

48.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.01 $1.01

73.27%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$37.3K $37.3K

-1.81%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

24.71%

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

$187 €161

$79.9 $79.9

134.08%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$70.6 $70.6

-78.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$67.4 $67.4

-44.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$58.3 $58.3

-4.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$14.37 $14.37

-18.51%

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

$1,011 €871

$2,290 $2,290

-55.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

$23.7K $23.7K

-27.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$41.72 $41.72

119.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$27.08 $27.08

51.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$72.4 $72.4

52.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$90.2 $90.2

39.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$2,015 $2,015

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$3,406 $3,406

-24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$3,940 $3,940

-39.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.17

-48.78%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Islip, NY: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $2,015 in Islip, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Islip, NY pays 66% 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 Islip, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $287 per month, with Islip, NY 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 Islip, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Islip, NY differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,056 including rent). Islip, NY is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Islip, NY. 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 $2,015 in Islip, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,011 in Barcelona versus $2,290 in Islip, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Islip, NY – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Islip, NY is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Islip, NY 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 Islip, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.