Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Manchester, NH

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,453 a month against $2,963 in Manchester, NH, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Manchester, NH, United States
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Manchester, NH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,963
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Manchester, NH

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Manchester, NH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $2,963 in Manchester, NH.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Manchester, NH $2,963

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $4,232 in Manchester, NH.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Manchester, NH $4,232

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $5,501 in Manchester, NH.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Manchester, NH $5,501

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 17% less than in Manchester, NH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Manchester, NH 118% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.76
$26.64 $26.64
-33.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$79.0 $79.0
-14.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.12
$11.06 $11.06
22.33%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.86
$5.51 $5.51
-42.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.61
$2.39 $2.39
21.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$2.04 $2.04
-7.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.59
$5.96 $5.96
-32.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.06
$7.10 $7.10
-36.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.02 $1.02
28.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.90 $2.90
-30.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$4.74 $4.74
-60.97%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.33
$4.54 $4.54
6.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €15.00
$9.89 $9.89
69.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.17
$10.71 $10.71
-14.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.60
$19.53 $19.53
0.56%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.67
$5.82 $5.82
-48.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.32 $2.32
-12.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.42
$4.51 $4.51
-40.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$6.07 $6.07
-53.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$2.45 $2.45
-14.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$3.21 $3.21
-35.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$2.15 $2.15
-32.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$2.36 $2.36
-60.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.16
$9.66 $9.66
-28.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.07
$14.75 $14.75
-46.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.93 $1.93
-26.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.27
$5.07 $5.07
-49.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.82
$1.97 $1.97
59.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.80
$61.0 $61.0
-58.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.68
$3.12 $3.12
-4.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$1.68 $1.68
-11.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.91
$30.19 $30.19
10.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$0.93 $0.93
93.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.7K
$33.5K $33.5K
-1.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$25.4K $25.4K
24.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €162
$230 $230
-21.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.40
$62.3 $62.3
-77.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.20
$69.8 $69.8
-51.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.16
$39.74 $39.74
29.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.30
$39.23 $39.23
-59.32%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.85
$11.35 $11.35
-3.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €821
$1,194 $1,194
-23.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$23.0K $23.0K
-28.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €78.0
$44.75 $44.75
94.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.51
$45.66 $45.66
-15.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.8
$90.4 $90.4
17.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$110 $110
8.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,523
$1,803 $1,803
-5.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,214
$1,543 $1,543
-12.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,332
$2,878 $2,878
-9.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,848
$2,348 $2,348
-12.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,196
$3,181 $3,181
117.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,595
$2,940 $2,940
74.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Manchester, NH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,981
$4,254 $4,254
-48.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
6.21
-47.18%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Manchester, NH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Manchester, NH
$1.5K 13.9% $188
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Manchester, NH
$410 27.3% $88
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Manchester, NH
$374 39.6% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Manchester, NH
$362 58.8% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Manchester, NH
$131 17.2% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Manchester, NH
$62 15% $11
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Manchester, NH
$80 65.8% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $1,803 in Manchester, NH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester, NH pays 92% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $79 in Manchester, NH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $410 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇺🇸 Manchester, NH
🕒 Local time
03:15 3:15 AM
22:15 10:15 PM
5 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
109,497
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Manchester, NH 5,860 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Manchester, NH

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Manchester, NH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Manchester, NH?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $2,963 in Manchester, NH, so Barcelona is about 17% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Barcelona. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Manchester, NH?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $1,803 in Manchester, NH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Manchester, NH?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $1,194 in Manchester, NH. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Manchester, NH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Manchester, NH?
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.
Is Barcelona or Manchester, NH safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Manchester, NH are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Manchester, NH?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Manchester, NH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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