Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and La Crosse, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and La Crosse, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,142 in La Crosse, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $3,401 in La Crosse, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $4,661 in La Crosse, WI.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 9% more expensive than La Crosse, WI, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, La Crosse, WI 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$13.05 $13.05

34.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$82.9 $82.9

-17.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$12.03 $12.03

14.30%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$5.87 $5.87

-52.98%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$3.10 $3.10

-10.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.26 $2.26

-9.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$6.30 $6.30

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$6.96 $6.96

-34.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$0.81 $0.81

58.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.17 $2.17

-2.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$5.37 $5.37

-63.31%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$4.05 $4.05

-15.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$5.59 $5.59

236.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$14.01 $14.01

-32.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$17.81 $17.81

6.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$6.48 $6.48

-58.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.76 $1.76

34.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.26 $2.26

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$3.33 $3.33

-17.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.24 $2.24

-12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$3.72 $3.72

-51.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.38 $2.38

-36.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$2.03 $2.03

-55.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$11.90 $11.90

-43.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$15.50 $15.50

-51.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.76 $1.76

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.94 $1.94

24.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$1.54 $1.54

96.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

$34.55 $34.55

-17.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$4.67 $4.67

-5.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.58 $1.58

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$24.13 $24.13

21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.82 $0.82

130.49%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$30.1K $30.1K

28.85%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$24.0K $24.0K

34.77%

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

$189 €161

$162 $162

16.11%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$51.5 $51.5

-56.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$66.0 $66.0

-44.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$40.32 $40.32

43.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

$4.05 $4.05

418.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$12.03 $12.03

-8.15%

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

$726 €622

$1,633 $1,633

-55.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$26.3K $26.3K

-42.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$63.0 $63.0

40.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$44.37 $44.37

-16.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$85.8 $85.8

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$117 $117

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$762 $762

100.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$986 $986

23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$2,163 $2,163

29.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$1,975 $1,975

2.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$1,889 $1,889

275.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$1,946 $1,946

149.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

$4,518 $4,518

-46.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.51

-47.93%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for La Crosse, WI: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $762 in La Crosse, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Crosse, WI pays 88% 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 $83.0 in La Crosse, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $368 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 La Crosse, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and La Crosse, WI differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $2,142 including rent). La Crosse, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, La Crosse, WI earns 88% less. 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $762 in La Crosse, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $1,633 in La Crosse, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,142 in La Crosse, WI versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in La Crosse, WI but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes La Crosse, WI 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 La Crosse, WI 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 La Crosse, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.