Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Peoria, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Peoria, IL: $1,919 a month against $2,381 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Peoria, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,919
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Peoria, IL

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 Peoria, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,381 in Barcelona versus $1,919 in Peoria, IL.

  • Barcelona $2,381
  • Peoria, IL $1,919

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Barcelona versus $2,842 in Peoria, IL.

  • Barcelona $3,406
  • Peoria, IL $2,842

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,431 in Barcelona versus $3,765 in Peoria, IL.

  • Barcelona $4,431
  • Peoria, IL $3,765

Living in Barcelona is roughly 24% more expensive than in Peoria, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 76% above, Peoria, IL 42% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €15.92
$15.02 $15.02
19.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €58.9
$62.4 $62.4
5.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.69 €12.18
$7.85 $7.85
74.39%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$5.47 $5.47
-44.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.73
$2.13 $2.13
44.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.13 $1.13
71.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 €3.44
$4.43 $4.43
-12.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €4.10
$4.89 $4.89
-5.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$0.72 $0.72
80.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.30 $2.30
-8.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.62
$4.30 $4.30
-57.44%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.11
$3.96 $3.96
16.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 €15.44
$12.18 $12.18
42.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.25
$10.75 $10.75
-13.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.83 €17.64
$16.29 $16.29
21.73%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$5.03 $5.03
-40.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.11 $1.11
82.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$5.41 $5.41
-51.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$4.71 $4.71
-39.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$2.50 $2.50
-13.60%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$2.30 $2.30
-6.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$2.05 $2.05
-28.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$2.16 $2.16
-59.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.93 €6.16
$12.32 $12.32
-43.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 €6.96
$10.97 $10.97
-28.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.17 $2.17
-35.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$3.41 $3.41
-22.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 €2.59
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 €22.64
$40.63 $40.63
-37.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.66
$3.48 $3.48
-13.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$2.93 $2.93
-50.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.20 €29.53
$17.72 $17.72
87.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.16 $1.16
60.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$28.1K $28.1K
15.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.2K
$26.8K $26.8K
18.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$205 $205
-11.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 €12.11
$52.9 $52.9
-74.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.29
$65.0 $65.0
-49.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 €48.65
$38.02 $38.02
43.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 €14.70
$10.09 $10.09
63.73%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €9.99
$9.48 $9.48
18.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$954 €849
$874 $874
9.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.8K
$12.8K $12.8K
30.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.5
$46.37 $46.37
85.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 €34.78
$24.87 $24.87
57.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.2
$57.2 $57.2
81.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$49.15 $49.15
141.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 €1,508
$1,042 $1,042
62.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 €1,135
$781 $781
63.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,576 €2,291
$1,572 $1,572
63.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 €1,710
$1,303 $1,303
47.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,281 €6,477
$1,181 $1,181
516.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,010 €4,456
$1,017 $1,017
392.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Peoria, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,227 €1,981
$4,213 $4,213
-47.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
6.82
-51.91%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Last update for Peoria, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Peoria, IL
$781 38.8% $496
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$325
Peoria, IL
$365 12.3% $40
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Peoria, IL
$254 5.6% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$229
Peoria, IL
$323 41% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$156
Peoria, IL
$80 48.9% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$77
Peoria, IL
$57 26.1% $20
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Peoria, IL
$59 * 24.2% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $1,042 in Peoria, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Peoria, IL pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Barcelona vs $62.0 in Peoria, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $325 vs $365, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇺🇸 Peoria, IL
🕒 Local time
19:03 7:03 PM
12:03 12:03 PM
7 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
113,150
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Peoria, IL 7,290 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Peoria, IL

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 Peoria, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Peoria, IL?
Barcelona and Peoria, IL differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,381 vs $1,919 including rent). Peoria, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Peoria, IL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Peoria, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $1,042 in Peoria, IL. 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 Peoria, IL?
Childcare runs $954 in Barcelona versus $874 in Peoria, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,919 in Peoria, IL versus $2,381 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Peoria, IL but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Peoria, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Peoria, IL?
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 Peoria, IL safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Peoria, 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.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Peoria, IL?
Expats usually find Peoria, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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