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: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,884 in Normal, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $3,339 in Normal, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $4,794 in Normal, IL.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 26% more expensive than Normal, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Normal, IL 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.26

$10.20 $10.20

72.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €59.4

$49.49 $49.49

38.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.20

$9.81 $9.81

43.32%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$5.12 $5.12

-45.70%

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

$2.80 €2.43

$3.10 $3.10

-9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.79

$2.23 $2.23

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.87

$5.06 $5.06

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$7.06 $7.06

-34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$0.87 $0.87

42.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.76

$2.64 $2.64

-23.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$3.22 $3.22

-40.37%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.87

$4.01 $4.01

-17.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.99

$8.83 $8.83

108.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.23

$12.34 $12.34

-23.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.62

$15.20 $15.20

26.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.29

$5.67 $5.67

-53.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.17 $1.17

109.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$4.70 $4.70

-54.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$4.78 $4.78

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$2.20 $2.20

-7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.20 $2.20

-15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.99 $1.99

-26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$2.75 $2.75

-69.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.20

$10.57 $10.57

-32.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.84

$10.86 $10.86

-27.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.80 $1.80

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.96 $2.96

-21.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.59

$2.06 $2.06

44.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.39

$91.7 $91.7

-68.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.99

$2.87 $2.87

60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.56 $1.56

32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.32

$20.86 $20.86

39.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.84 $0.84

119.05%

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

$39.0K €33.8K

$30.3K $30.3K

28.60%

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

$32.7K €28.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

26.48%

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

$188 €163

$187 $187

0.48%

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

$22.93 €19.90

$39.73 $39.73

-42.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.85

$62.8 $62.8

-41.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.78

$42.56 $42.56

34.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.71

$14.44 $14.44

-22.51%

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

$721 €625

$709 $709

1.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.1K

$24.5K $24.5K

-38.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.8

$30.49 $30.49

182.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €32.16

$39.86 $39.86

-7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$80.5 $80.5

26.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$105 $105

10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,331

$1,625 $1,625

-5.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,059

$713 $713

71.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,339

$2,670 $2,670

0.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,747

$2,187 $2,187

-7.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,264

$9,880 $9,880

-26.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,502

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,047

$4,217 $4,217

-44.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Normal, IL: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,625 in Normal, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Normal, IL pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $49.00 in Normal, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $364, 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 26% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,884 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 79% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,625 in Normal, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $709 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.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Normal, IL 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 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 26% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.