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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $1,893 in Normal, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $3,327 in Normal, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $4,761 in Normal, IL.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 23% more expensive than Normal, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Normal, IL 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$9.96 $9.96

75.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$50.9 $50.9

37.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$10.19 $10.19

36.51%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$5.03 $5.03

-45.53%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$3.14 $3.14

-14.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.16 $2.16

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$4.90 $4.90

-7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$6.88 $6.88

-32.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$0.79 $0.79

62.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.54 $2.54

-17.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$3.33 $3.33

-40.24%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$3.93 $3.93

-12.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$8.95 $8.95

107.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$12.66 $12.66

-25.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$15.54 $15.54

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$5.55 $5.55

-52.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.17 $1.17

104.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$4.69 $4.69

-53.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$4.88 $4.88

-42.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.13 $2.13

-4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$2.21 $2.21

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.92 $1.92

-24.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$2.70 $2.70

-65.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$10.33 $10.33

-33.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$11.42 $11.42

-32.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.86 $1.86

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.97 $2.97

-21.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$1.96 $1.96

46.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

$93.9 $93.9

-69.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$2.78 $2.78

59.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$1.58 $1.58

35.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$21.35 $21.35

35.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$0.79 $0.79

140.51%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$29.9K $29.9K

26.53%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$26.0K $26.0K

27.87%

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

$186 €158

$181 $181

2.74%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$39.73 $39.73

-44.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$63.0 $63.0

-42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$42.24 $42.24

38.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$14.50 $14.50

-23.45%

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

$705 €601

$694 $694

1.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$24.5K $24.5K

-37.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$30.29 $30.29

185.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$40.57 $40.57

-9.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$81.2 $81.2

28.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$104 $104

10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$1,576 $1,576

-2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$712 $712

74.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$2,674 $2,674

2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$2,259 $2,259

-10.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

$9,955 $9,955

-28.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$3,461 $3,461

-28.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.55

-48.24%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $1,576 in Normal, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Normal, IL pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Barcelona vs $51 in Normal, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $366, 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 Normal, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Normal, IL differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($2,336 vs $1,893 including rent). Normal, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Normal, IL earns 40% less. 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: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $1,576 in Normal, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $694 in Normal, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,893 in Normal, IL versus $2,336 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Normal, IL but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Normal, 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 Normal, 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 Normal, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.