Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Pachuca

For one person, living is cheaper in Pachuca: $877 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Pachuca, Mexico
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Pachuca
🇲🇽 Mexico
$877
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Pachuca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Pachuca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Barcelona versus $877 in Pachuca.

  • Barcelona $2,453
  • Pachuca $877

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Barcelona versus $1,460 in Pachuca.

  • Barcelona $3,509
  • Pachuca $1,460

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,564 in Barcelona versus $2,044 in Pachuca.

  • Barcelona $4,564
  • Pachuca $2,044

Living in Barcelona is roughly 180% more expensive than in Pachuca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Pachuca is 36% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.59 €15.75
$4.96 MX$93.1
254.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$25.47 MX$478
164.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.53 €12.12
$7.91 MX$148
71.05%
Cappuccino
$3.19 €2.86
$2.98 MX$55.9
7.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.61
$1.12 MX$21.00
159.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.70
$0.80 MX$15.03
136.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.01 €3.59
$1.64 MX$30.83
144.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 €4.06
$3.15 MX$59.2
43.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.17
$1.49 MX$27.97
-12.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.51 MX$47.21
-19.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.79 MX$33.68
3.35%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.33
$2.67 MX$50.1
80.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.74 €14.99
$7.13 MX$134
134.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 €8.17
$4.54 MX$85.3
100.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.64 €17.59
$7.64 MX$143
157.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.67
$2.00 MX$37.46
49.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 €1.81
$1.31 MX$24.67
54.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 €2.42
$1.46 MX$27.38
84.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$1.64 MX$30.75
70.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.09 €1.87
$1.46 MX$27.36
43.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.85
$1.28 MX$23.95
61.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 €1.31
$0.89 MX$16.68
64.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 €0.84
$0.96 MX$17.94
-2.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.87 €6.15
$4.30 MX$80.7
59.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.06
$8.25 MX$155
-4.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 €1.26
$1.31 MX$24.60
7.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 €2.27
$2.45 MX$46.03
3.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.14 €2.82
$0.59 MX$11.03
432.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.45 €22.79
$26.43 MX$496
-3.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.99 €2.68
$2.62 MX$49.15
14.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.34
$2.58 MX$48.50
-42.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.37 €29.89
$10.61 MX$199
214.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.61
$1.41 MX$26.53
27.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K €29.7K
$21.5K MX$404.1K
54.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$22.9K MX$430.1K
38.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$180 €162
$45.14 MX$847
299.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.84 €12.39
$19.13 MX$359
-27.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.70 €30.18
$22.63 MX$425
48.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 €46.13
$23.75 MX$446
116.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.96 €14.29
$10.81 MX$203
47.64%
Cinema Ticket
$10.99 €9.85
$4.20 MX$78.8
161.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$917 €821
$163 MX$3,056
463.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.5K €14.8K
$2,635 MX$49.5K
525.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 €77.9
$51.0 MX$957
70.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51 €34.49
$41.00 MX$770
-6.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 €94.8
$93.3 MX$1,751
13.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 €107
$75.3 MX$1,414
58.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,699 €1,522
$388 MX$7,278
338.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 €1,214
$268 MX$5,029
405.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,603 €2,331
$600 MX$11.3K
334.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 €1,847
$675 MX$12.7K
205.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,915 €6,193
$737 MX$13.8K
837.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,128 €4,592
$645 MX$12.1K
694.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Pachuca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,211 €1,980
$651 MX$12.2K
239.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
10.8
-69.63%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pachuca: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.4K
Pachuca
$268 80.2% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$322
Pachuca
$207 35.8% $115
Eating Out
Barcelona
$268
Pachuca
$121 54.7% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$228
Pachuca
$87 61.9% $141
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Pachuca
$117 25.8% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Pachuca
$32 56.3% $41
Getting Around
Barcelona
$48
Pachuca
$44 8.6% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,699 in Barcelona and $388 in Pachuca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays about 3.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $25 in Pachuca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $207 per month, with Pachuca cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇲🇽 Pachuca
🕒 Local time
18:49 6:49 PM
11:49 11:49 AM
7 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
297,848
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Pachuca 9,410 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Pachuca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Pachuca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Pachuca?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,453 in Barcelona and $877 in Pachuca, so Pachuca is about 64% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barcelona or Pachuca?
Average pay in Barcelona is about 3.4 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Pachuca?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,699 in Barcelona versus $388 in Pachuca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Pachuca?
Childcare runs $917 in Barcelona versus $163 in Pachuca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $877 in Pachuca versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pachuca but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Pachuca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Pachuca?
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.
Is Barcelona or Pachuca safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Pachuca are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Pachuca?
It comes down to priorities – Pachuca wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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