Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Long Island, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Long Island, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $3,522 in Long Island, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $5,143 in Long Island, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $6,764 in Long Island, NY.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 34% less than in Long Island, NY, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Long Island, NY 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.80

$20.03 $20.03

-14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €60.0

$98.7 $98.7

-29.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.95

$13.61 $13.61

1.25%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.39

$4.90 $4.90

-43.67%

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

$2.79 €2.42

$2.39 $2.39

16.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.76 $1.76

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.78

$6.85 $6.85

-36.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.11

$8.05 $8.05

-41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.25 $1.25

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.78

$3.67 $3.67

-44.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$4.93 $4.93

-59.63%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.94

$4.90 $4.90

-30.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.31

$17.48 $17.48

7.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.12

$11.95 $11.95

-21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.57

$15.17 $15.17

26.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.34

$4.85 $4.85

-44.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.76 $1.76

32.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$4.05 $4.05

-47.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$4.12 $4.12

-30.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$2.72 $2.72

-27.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.56

$3.81 $3.81

-52.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.26

$2.23 $2.23

-34.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$2.34 $2.34

-63.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$12.03 $12.03

-43.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.85

$14.73 $14.73

-46.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.69 $1.69

-17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.06

$4.08 $4.08

-41.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.53

$2.96 $2.96

-1.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.86

$127 $127

-77.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.86

$3.04 $3.04

46.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.78

$2.01 $2.01

1.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.61

$24.09 $24.09

22.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$0.91 $0.91

100.00%

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

$38.8K €33.7K

$24.4K $24.4K

58.88%

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

$33.1K €28.7K

$24.9K $24.9K

32.90%

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

$189 €164

$128 $128

48.30%

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

$22.80 €19.76

$45.10 $45.10

-49.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.58

$61.9 $61.9

-39.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €50.1

$33.48 $33.48

72.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.98

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.38

$12.76 $12.76

-15.20%

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

$728 €631

$2,246 $2,246

-67.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.8K

$24.0K $24.0K

-38.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.8

$40.65 $40.65

118.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.94

$62.6 $62.6

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.4

$74.9 $74.9

36.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$130 $130

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,360

$2,336 $2,336

-32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,056

$2,251 $2,251

-45.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,423

$4,152 $4,152

-32.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,712

$3,595 $3,595

-45.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,720

$4,243 $4,243

82.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,486

$4,299 $4,299

20.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,031

$5,053 $5,053

-53.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.44

-47.36%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Long Island, NY: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $2,336 in Long Island, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Island, NY pays 116% 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 $99.0 in Long Island, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $417 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 Long Island, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Long Island, NY differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $3,522 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Long Island, NY earns 116% 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $2,336 in Long Island, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $2,246 in Long Island, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Long Island, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Long Island, 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Long Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.