Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Memphis, TN Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Memphis, TN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,415 in Memphis, TN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $3,417 in Memphis, TN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $4,419 in Memphis, TN.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 4% less than in Memphis, TN, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Memphis, TN 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.43

$19.19 $19.19

-7.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.9

$75.7 $75.7

-7.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.37

$9.97 $9.97

42.03%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$5.11 $5.11

-45.21%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.56 $2.56

9.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.03 $2.03

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$5.82 $5.82

-20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$7.91 $7.91

-40.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.07

$0.94 $0.94

30.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.75 $2.75

-26.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.50 $4.50

-56.00%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$4.19 $4.19

-16.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.01

$10.95 $10.95

67.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.59

$11.00 $11.00

-10.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.71

$15.47 $15.47

23.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$6.31 $6.31

-56.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.58 $1.58

50.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$5.45 $5.45

-61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$4.86 $4.86

-43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$4.92 $4.92

-60.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$3.35 $3.35

-46.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.35 $2.35

-37.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$2.47 $2.47

-63.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$7.94 $7.94

-10.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

$13.44 $13.44

-41.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.76 $1.76

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$1.92 $1.92

24.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$1.24 $1.24

142.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

$12.67 $12.67

131.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.81

$2.06 $2.06

111.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.40 $1.40

52.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

$19.81 $19.81

49.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$0.81 $0.81

124.69%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$33.2K $33.2K

14.03%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$27.4K $27.4K

18.36%

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

$189 €165

$215 $215

-11.93%

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

$22.29 €19.48

$58.0 $58.0

-61.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.47

$67.0 $67.0

-44.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.7

$37.32 $37.32

55.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.05

$17.71 $17.71

16.66%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.50

$12.63 $12.63

-13.94%

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

$706 €617

$1,582 $1,582

-55.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

-46.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.2

$39.22 $39.22

128.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €31.98

$32.45 $32.45

12.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.9

$75.1 $75.1

38.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$141 $141

-15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,379

$1,207 $1,207

30.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,082

$1,115 $1,115

11.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,370

$1,547 $1,547

75.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,782

$1,600 $1,600

27.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,576

$1,757 $1,757

328.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,577

$1,349 $1,349

288.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,065

$3,578 $3,578

-33.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.53

-48.09%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $1,207 in Memphis, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Memphis, TN pays 51% 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: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $76.0 in Memphis, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $393 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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Memphis, TN differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $2,415 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Memphis, TN. 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,207 in Memphis, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $1,582 in Memphis, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Memphis, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,320 in Barcelona versus $2,415 in Memphis, TN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Memphis, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 Memphis, TN 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 4% less than in Memphis, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.