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: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $2,386 in Memphis, TN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $3,536 in Memphis, TN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $4,687 in Memphis, TN.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 5% more expensive than in Memphis, TN, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Memphis, TN 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.87

$18.28 $18.28

0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$75.4 $75.4

-8.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.19

$11.76 $11.76

20.15%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$5.53 $5.53

-43.40%

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

$3.02 €2.60

$2.46 $2.46

22.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$1.94 $1.94

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.45

$7.21 $7.21

-44.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.11

$7.85 $7.85

-39.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$0.90 $0.90

38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.87

$3.04 $3.04

-28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$4.07 $4.07

-58.48%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.26

$3.36 $3.36

46.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.43

$11.10 $11.10

61.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.29

$11.07 $11.07

-13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.69

$18.36 $18.36

5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.79

$4.47 $4.47

-27.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.70 $1.70

28.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$4.91 $4.91

-45.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$4.75 $4.75

-41.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$3.27 $3.27

-32.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$3.53 $3.53

-37.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.59 $2.59

-41.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$2.34 $2.34

-60.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.14

$8.28 $8.28

-14.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.02

$13.40 $13.40

-39.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.78 $1.78

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.40

$1.65 $1.65

68.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.72

$0.98 $0.98

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.29

$49.07 $49.07

-45.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$1.96 $1.96

65.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.35 $1.35

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.11

$19.84 $19.84

75.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.00 $1.00

75.00%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$37.6K $37.6K

-2.44%

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

$30.9K €26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

14.81%

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

$188 €162

$169 $169

10.72%

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

$15.44 €13.32

$84.7 $84.7

-81.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.61

$74.2 $74.2

-49.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.34

$32.39 $32.39

76.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.49

$16.12 $16.12

4.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.99

$14.78 $14.78

-21.65%

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

$1,003 €865

$1,706 $1,706

-41.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.7K

$27.4K $27.4K

-37.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €77.0

$44.74 $44.74

99.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.27

$31.61 $31.61

29.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.9

$75.9 $75.9

44.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$139 $139

-11.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,444

$1,383 $1,383

21.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,149

$1,139 $1,139

16.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,240

$1,974 $1,974

31.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,683

$1,819 $1,819

7.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,535

$1,746 $1,746

333.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,634

$1,337 $1,337

301.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,073

$3,490 $3,490

-31.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.06

-47.85%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $1,383 in Memphis, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Memphis, TN pays 45% 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 $75.0 in Memphis, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $383 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 5% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $2,386 including rent). Memphis, TN is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $1,383 in Memphis, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $1,706 in Memphis, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,386 in Memphis, TN versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Memphis, TN but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.