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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $3,314 in Jacksonville, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $4,077 in Jacksonville, NC.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 8% less than in Jacksonville, NC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Jacksonville, NC 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.80

$17.69 $17.69

-3.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €60.0

$54.7 $54.7

26.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.95

$10.14 $10.14

35.90%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.39

$4.79 $4.79

-42.38%

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

$2.79 €2.42

$2.54 $2.54

9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.87 $1.87

6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.78

$4.89 $4.89

-10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.11

$6.40 $6.40

-25.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$0.94 $0.94

37.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.78

$2.15 $2.15

-4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$4.29 $4.29

-53.61%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.94

$4.50 $4.50

-24.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.31

$11.96 $11.96

57.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.12

$14.41 $14.41

-35.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.57

$27.76 $27.76

-31.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.34

$2.16 $2.16

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.45 $1.45

61.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$5.01 $5.01

-57.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$3.57 $3.57

-20.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$7.58 $7.58

-74.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.56

$3.63 $3.63

-50.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.26

$3.40 $3.40

-57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.90 $1.90

-54.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$10.59 $10.59

-35.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.85

$13.78 $13.78

-42.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.71 $1.71

-18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.06

$6.94 $6.94

-65.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.53

$2.02 $2.02

44.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.86

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.86

$2.45 $2.45

82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.78

$2.37 $2.37

-13.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.61

$28.61 $28.61

3.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$0.78 $0.78

133.33%

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

$38.8K €33.7K

$28.9K $28.9K

34.52%

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

$33.1K €28.7K

$27.5K $27.5K

20.44%

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

$189 €164

$170 $170

11.23%

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

$22.80 €19.76

$56.1 $56.1

-59.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.58

$78.0 $78.0

-51.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €50.1

$38.24 $38.24

50.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.98

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.38

$13.91 $13.91

-22.21%

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

$728 €631

$911 $911

-20.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.8K

$23.1K $23.1K

-36.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.8

$29.91 $29.91

196.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.94

$39.91 $39.91

-7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.4

$80.7 $80.7

26.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$74.9 $74.9

54.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,360

$1,204 $1,204

30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,056

$1,369 $1,369

-11.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,423

$1,588 $1,588

76.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,712

$1,551 $1,551

27.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,720

$1,914 $1,914

305.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,486

$6,840 $6,840

-24.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,031

$2,231 $2,231

5.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.33

-46.45%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jacksonville, NC: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 5% 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 $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $431, 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 Jacksonville, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Jacksonville, NC differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $2,551 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $911 in Jacksonville, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,337 in Barcelona versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Jacksonville, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 Jacksonville, 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Jacksonville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.