Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Johnstown, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Johnstown, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,795 in Johnstown, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,603 in Johnstown, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,412 in Johnstown, PA.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 30% more expensive than Johnstown, PA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Johnstown, PA 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$19.97 $19.97

-14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$46.85 $46.85

47.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$7.07 $7.07

94.91%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$6.03 $6.03

-54.23%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.10 $2.10

32.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.83 $2.83

-29.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$3.90 $3.90

11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$6.10 $6.10

-22.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.14 $1.14

13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.15 $2.15

-4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$3.90 $3.90

-48.97%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$4.43 $4.43

-23.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$17.39 $17.39

8.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$8.06 $8.06

16.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$17.30 $17.30

10.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$4.46 $4.46

-39.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.16 $1.16

101.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$4.42 $4.42

-52.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$5.41 $5.41

-47.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.33 $2.33

-15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$3.68 $3.68

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$2.58 $2.58

-43.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.70 $1.70

-49.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$9.97 $9.97

-32.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$15.16 $15.16

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.82 $2.82

-50.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$4.45 $4.45

-46.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.73 $1.73

68.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.91 $3.91

14.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.40 $1.40

46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$30.28 $30.28

-2.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.89 $0.89

104.49%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$30.0K $30.0K

29.62%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$25.5K $25.5K

29.57%

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

$189 €163

$149 $149

26.87%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$15.22 $15.22

49.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$67.0 $67.0

-43.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$36.41 $36.41

58.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$9.84 $9.84

9.96%

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

$728 €628

$2,725 $2,725

-73.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$39.7K $39.7K

-62.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$70.4 $70.4

25.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$50.8 $50.8

-27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$74.1 $74.1

37.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$98.8 $98.8

17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$612 $612

156.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$642 $642

89.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$813 $813

243.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$920 $920

114.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$838 $838

825.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$816 $816

534.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$2,132 $2,132

9.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.48

-47.69%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Johnstown, PA: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $612 in Johnstown, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 10% 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 $47.00 in Johnstown, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $383, 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 Johnstown, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Johnstown, PA differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,795 including rent). Johnstown, PA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 10% 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 $612 in Johnstown, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $2,725 in Johnstown, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Johnstown, PA – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,795 in Johnstown, PA versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Johnstown, PA but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Johnstown, PA 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 Johnstown, PA 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 Johnstown, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.