Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Madison, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Madison, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,979 in Madison, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $4,390 in Madison, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $5,802 in Madison, WI.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 17% less than in Madison, WI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Madison, WI 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$19.87 $19.87

-5.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$66.5 $66.5

4.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$13.06 $13.06

5.44%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$5.64 $5.64

-45.04%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$3.24 $3.24

-12.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$2.47 $2.47

-23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$6.85 $6.85

-41.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$7.72 $7.72

-41.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.95 $0.95

33.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$3.59 $3.59

-39.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$4.62 $4.62

-61.90%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$3.62 $3.62

41.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.57

$14.71 $14.71

21.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$13.29 $13.29

-27.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$19.96 $19.96

0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$4.76 $4.76

-31.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.59 $1.59

40.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$5.40 $5.40

-51.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$4.99 $4.99

-44.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.78 $2.78

-20.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$3.11 $3.11

-31.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.08 $2.08

-25.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$2.42 $2.42

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$10.81 $10.81

-32.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$15.85 $15.85

-49.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$2.76 $2.76

-44.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$4.34 $4.34

-35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$2.02 $2.02

53.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

$64.8 $64.8

-60.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.89 $3.89

-15.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.97 $1.97

-24.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.85

$42.90 $42.90

-20.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.01 $1.01

71.29%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$35.4K $35.4K

2.66%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$25.0K $25.0K

22.37%

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

$187 €163

$273 $273

-31.43%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$51.6 $51.6

-70.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.82

$80.6 $80.6

-53.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.72

$58.9 $58.9

-4.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

$10.52 $10.52

62.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$15.05 $15.05

-24.19%

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

$997 €868

$1,722 $1,722

-42.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$23.7K $23.7K

-30.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$64.9 $64.9

42.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$49.75 $49.75

-17.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$107 $107

4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$120 $120

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$1,739 $1,739

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$1,510 $1,510

-14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,234

$3,144 $3,144

-18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,691

$2,544 $2,544

-23.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,661

$4,481 $4,481

70.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,500

$2,478 $2,478

108.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$4,387 $4,387

-46.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.26

-49.52%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Madison, WI: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,739 in Madison, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madison, WI pays 87% 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 $67.0 in Madison, WI. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $435, 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 Madison, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Madison, WI differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $2,979 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 87% lower in Madison, WI. 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,739 in Madison, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $1,722 in Madison, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Madison, WI. 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 Madison, 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Madison, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.