Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Merrillville, IN Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Merrillville, IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,484 in Merrillville, IN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $3,623 in Merrillville, IN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $4,762 in Merrillville, IN.

Monthly costs are close between Barcelona and Merrillville, IN; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Merrillville, IN 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.31

$14.84 $14.84

26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$54.4 $54.4

27.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.98

$10.15 $10.15

35.67%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.60 $4.60

-32.61%

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

$2.83 €2.46

$2.23 $2.23

26.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$2.22 $2.22

-15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$3.94 $3.94

1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.94

$5.66 $5.66

-19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.78 $0.78

62.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.90 $2.90

-25.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$4.56 $4.56

-61.40%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.46

$4.65 $4.65

10.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.56

$11.76 $11.76

52.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.40

$10.14 $10.14

-4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.54

$20.84 $20.84

-3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$6.02 $6.02

-46.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.22 $1.22

82.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$4.38 $4.38

-40.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$5.50 $5.50

-49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$3.72 $3.72

-40.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$4.41 $4.41

-51.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.33 $2.33

-33.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.27 $1.27

-25.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.39

$8.81 $8.81

-16.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.00

$12.04 $12.04

-33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.34

$2.08 $2.08

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.44 $3.44

-18.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.70

$2.23 $2.23

39.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$4.92 $4.92

-33.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.91 $1.91

-22.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.83

$50.7 $50.7

-32.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.50

$0.91 $0.91

90.11%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$37.0K $37.0K

-1.64%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$28.1K $28.1K

8.57%

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

$187 €163

$230 $230

-18.78%

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

$15.14 €13.18

$63.0 $63.0

-75.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.80

$66.8 $66.8

-43.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.68

$36.14 $36.14

54.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.87

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.93

$14.75 $14.75

-22.64%

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

$997 €867

$1,388 $1,388

-28.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$22.5K $22.5K

-26.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.6

$51.6 $51.6

79.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.88

$39.54 $39.54

4.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.8

$104 $104

7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$94.6 $94.6

32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,486

$1,650 $1,650

3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,119

$1,251 $1,251

2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,233

$2,805 $2,805

-8.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,690

$1,846 $1,846

5.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,655

$2,494 $2,494

206.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,497

$2,549 $2,549

102.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,044

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.34

-50.16%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Merrillville, IN: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,650 in Merrillville, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $54.0 in Merrillville, IN. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $391, 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 Merrillville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $3,714 in Barcelona and $3,726 in Merrillville, IN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,650 in Merrillville, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $1,388 in Merrillville, IN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Merrillville, IN. 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 Merrillville, IN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Barcelona wins on affordability, Merrillville, IN on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.