Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Jefferson City, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Jefferson City, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $1,824 in Jefferson City, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $2,869 in Jefferson City, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $3,915 in Jefferson City, MO.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 37% more expensive than in Jefferson City, MO, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Jefferson City, MO 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$15.13 $15.13

21.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$40.58 $40.58

70.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

$10.01 $10.01

41.16%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$5.66 $5.66

-44.70%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$1.98 $1.98

52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.23 $2.23

-12.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$5.59 $5.59

-28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

$6.38 $6.38

-25.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.86 $0.86

45.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$3.35 $3.35

-35.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$4.52 $4.52

-62.61%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$4.22 $4.22

16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$4.28 $4.28

317.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$9.80 $9.80

-1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$13.67 $13.67

41.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$4.55 $4.55

-28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.55 $1.55

40.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$4.56 $4.56

-41.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$4.35 $4.35

-36.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$3.18 $3.18

-30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$3.43 $3.43

-36.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.37 $2.37

-35.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.96 $1.96

-53.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

$7.83 $7.83

-9.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

$12.70 $12.70

-35.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.03 $2.03

-26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.80 $3.80

-26.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$3.05 $3.05

3.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

$2.48 $2.48

31.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.27 $1.27

18.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

$60.3 $60.3

-42.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.85 $0.85

105.88%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$35.6K $35.6K

3.02%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$25.2K $25.2K

22.96%

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

$188 €161

$202 $202

-6.90%

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

$15.44 €13.27

$66.0 $66.0

-76.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$70.1 $70.1

-46.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

$14.91 $14.91

-22.33%

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

$1,003 €862

$1,133 $1,133

-11.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$20.7K $20.7K

-17.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

$50.6 $50.6

76.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

$43.65 $43.65

-6.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$103 $103

6.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$124 $124

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$870 $870

92.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$706 $706

88.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$1,786 $1,786

45.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$1,564 $1,564

24.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

$1,537 $1,537

392.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

$1,754 $1,754

206.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$1,907 $1,907

25.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.12

-48.37%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $870 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $41.00 in Jefferson City, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $344, 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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Jefferson City, MO differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $1,824 including rent). Jefferson City, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Barcelona, 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $870 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $1,133 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jefferson City, MO – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,824 in Jefferson City, MO versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Jefferson City, MO but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Jefferson City, MO 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 Jefferson City, MO 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 Jefferson City, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.