Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and North Brunswick, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and North Brunswick, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,612 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $3,809 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $5,006 in North Brunswick, NJ.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 10% less than in North Brunswick, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, North Brunswick, NJ 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.08

$18.69 $18.69

-5.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.8

$74.9 $74.9

-8.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.77

$10.79 $10.79

27.43%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

$5.06 $5.06

-45.45%

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

$2.78 €2.38

$2.51 $2.51

10.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.95 $1.95

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.94

$6.08 $6.08

-24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.93

$6.93 $6.93

-33.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.00 $1.00

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$3.45 $3.45

-38.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$4.34 $4.34

-54.61%

Eggs

$3.44 €2.95

$4.29 $4.29

-19.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.12

$12.42 $12.42

51.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.09

$11.28 $11.28

-16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.27

$15.45 $15.45

23.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.33

$4.86 $4.86

-44.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

$1.61 $1.61

47.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$4.20 $4.20

-50.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

$4.85 $4.85

-43.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.83 $2.83

-30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

$2.88 $2.88

-37.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

$2.04 $2.04

-25.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$2.13 $2.13

-57.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.79

$9.51 $9.51

-28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.46

$17.02 $17.02

-55.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

$1.76 $1.76

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

$3.41 $3.41

-29.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

$2.02 $2.02

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.79

$3.52 $3.52

25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.58 $1.58

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.11

$28.69 $28.69

2.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.62

$0.89 $0.89

112.36%

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

$38.7K €33.2K

$29.2K $29.2K

32.64%

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

$32.4K €27.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

28.28%

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

$189 €161

$188 $188

0.32%

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

$22.21 €19.01

$53.1 $53.1

-58.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.52

$67.5 $67.5

-45.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.64

$43.52 $43.52

33.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.97

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.46

$13.77 $13.77

-19.75%

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

$726 €622

$1,317 $1,317

-44.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$23.6K $23.6K

-35.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.6

$51.4 $51.4

71.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.66

$39.84 $39.84

-7.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.8

$85.5 $85.5

19.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$110 $110

8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,307

$1,620 $1,620

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,043

$1,360 $1,360

-10.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,392

$2,641 $2,641

5.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,735

$2,263 $2,263

-10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,073

$2,695 $2,695

163.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,151

$2,353 $2,353

106.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,058

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.51

-47.93%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for North Brunswick, NJ: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $1,620 in North Brunswick, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $75.0 in North Brunswick, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $392 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 North Brunswick, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and North Brunswick, NJ differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $2,612 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $3,918 in North Brunswick, NJ 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,620 in North Brunswick, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $1,317 in North Brunswick, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $75.0 in North Brunswick, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,612 in North Brunswick, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in North Brunswick, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 North Brunswick, NJ 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in North Brunswick, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.