Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Murphysboro, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Murphysboro, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $1,676 in Murphysboro, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $2,531 in Murphysboro, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $3,386 in Murphysboro, IL.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 49% more expensive than in Murphysboro, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Murphysboro, IL 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$18.78 $18.78

-2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$80.2 $80.2

-13.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$12.07 $12.07

17.07%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$6.76 $6.76

-53.70%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$2.95 $2.95

2.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.43 $2.43

-19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$6.87 $6.87

-41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

$7.90 $7.90

-39.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.82 $0.82

52.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.82 $1.82

18.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$4.00 $4.00

-57.75%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$4.27 $4.27

15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$12.87 $12.87

38.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$9.45 $9.45

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$15.36 $15.36

25.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$5.85 $5.85

-44.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.47 $1.47

48.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$4.10 $4.10

-34.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$5.12 $5.12

-45.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.11 $1.11

99.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.93 $1.93

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.62 $1.62

-6.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.78 $0.78

17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$10.35 $10.35

-31.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

$10.05 $10.05

-19.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.48 $2.48

-39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$4.01 $4.01

-30.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$2.30 $2.30

36.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$5.03 $5.03

-35.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.58 $1.58

-5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

$20.64 $20.64

69.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.98 $0.98

78.57%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$36.7K $36.7K

-0.25%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$27.4K $27.4K

12.84%

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

$188 €161

$192 $192

-2.16%

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

$15.44 €13.29

$32.38 $32.38

-52.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

$38.82 $38.82

-2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$36.37 $36.37

57.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$8.83 $8.83

31.14%

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

$1,003 €863

$1,483 $1,483

-32.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$30.9K $30.9K

-45.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

$33.33 $33.33

167.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

$34.68 $34.68

17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

$93.8 $93.8

17.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$111 $111

10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$637 $637

162.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

$561 $561

137.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

$919 $919

182.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

$865 $865

125.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

$903 $903

738.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

$975 $975

450.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

$2,460 $2,460

-2.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.07

-47.94%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Murphysboro, IL: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $637 in Murphysboro, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Murphysboro, IL pays 2% 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 $80.0 in Murphysboro, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $335 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 Murphysboro, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Murphysboro, IL differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $1,676 including rent). Murphysboro, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Murphysboro, IL. 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 $637 in Murphysboro, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $1,483 in Murphysboro, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Murphysboro, IL – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,676 in Murphysboro, IL versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Murphysboro, IL but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Murphysboro, IL 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 Murphysboro, IL 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 Murphysboro, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.