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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,256 in Ithaca, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $3,448 in Ithaca, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $4,640 in Ithaca, NY.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Ithaca, NY 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$19.77 $19.77

-10.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$70.9 $70.9

-1.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$11.03 $11.03

28.38%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$4.96 $4.96

-43.55%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.86 $2.86

-1.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.92 $1.92

7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$4.93 $4.93

-6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$5.91 $5.91

-20.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$1.00 $1.00

23.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$4.03 $4.03

-49.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$5.44 $5.44

-63.60%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$4.08 $4.08

-14.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$13.87 $13.87

32.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$6.50 $6.50

51.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$15.45 $15.45

23.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$4.57 $4.57

-40.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.59 $1.59

49.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$4.64 $4.64

-55.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$4.75 $4.75

-42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$7.12 $7.12

-72.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$3.41 $3.41

-47.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.83 $2.83

-47.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.76 $1.76

-48.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$9.16 $9.16

-22.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$14.22 $14.22

-44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.86 $1.86

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$3.94 $3.94

-39.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$1.46 $1.46

106.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$44.80 $44.80

-34.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$4.97 $4.97

-12.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.36 $1.36

56.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$27.29 $27.29

8.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.94 $0.94

93.62%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$30.2K $30.2K

25.66%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

26.80%

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

$189 €165

$139 $139

35.79%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$46.49 $46.49

-52.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$65.4 $65.4

-43.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$43.00 $43.00

34.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$10.94 $10.94

-0.64%

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

$706 €618

$1,564 $1,564

-54.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

-47.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$44.01 $44.01

103.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$39.25 $39.25

-6.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$80.9 $80.9

28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$101 $101

18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$1,649 $1,649

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$1,058 $1,058

17.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$2,647 $2,647

2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$1,866 $1,866

9.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$2,200 $2,200

242.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$2,150 $2,150

143.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$3,399 $3,399

-30.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.28

-46.02%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ithaca, NY: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $1,649 in Ithaca, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ithaca, NY pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $71.0 in Ithaca, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $390 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 Ithaca, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Ithaca, NY differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $2,256 including rent). Ithaca, NY is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Ithaca, 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,649 in Ithaca, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $1,564 in Ithaca, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,256 in Ithaca, NY versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ithaca, NY but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ithaca, NY 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 Ithaca, 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 Ithaca, NY 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.