Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rock Island, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Rock Island, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $2,540 in Rock Island, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $3,763 in Rock Island, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $4,986 in Rock Island, IL.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 7% less than in Rock Island, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Rock Island, IL 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.26

$16.09 $16.09

9.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €59.4

$91.0 $91.0

-24.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.20

$11.79 $11.79

19.25%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$6.36 $6.36

-56.29%

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

$2.80 €2.43

$2.60 $2.60

7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.79

$2.33 $2.33

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.87

$5.13 $5.13

-13.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$6.92 $6.92

-33.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$0.91 $0.91

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.76

$2.57 $2.57

-21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$2.26 $2.26

-15.04%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.87

$3.58 $3.58

-7.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.99

$12.92 $12.92

42.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.23

$14.70 $14.70

-35.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.62

$18.60 $18.60

3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.29

$4.37 $4.37

-39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.57 $1.57

56.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$3.63 $3.63

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$3.44 $3.44

-17.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.68 $1.68

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$3.03 $3.03

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.28

$2.42 $2.42

-39.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.12 $1.12

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.20

$8.78 $8.78

-18.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.84

$15.19 $15.19

-48.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.77 $1.77

-22.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.00

$3.91 $3.91

-40.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.59

$1.95 $1.95

52.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.39

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.99

$1.96 $1.96

134.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.57 $1.57

31.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.32

$20.03 $20.03

45.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.82 $0.82

124.39%

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

$39.0K €33.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

48.63%

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

$32.7K €28.4K

$24.4K $24.4K

34.05%

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

$188 €163

$147 $147

27.88%

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

$22.93 €19.90

$50.4 $50.4

-54.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.85

$74.7 $74.7

-50.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.78

$42.74 $42.74

34.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.71

$14.88 $14.88

-24.80%

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

$721 €625

$1,381 $1,381

-47.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.1K

$11.6K $11.6K

29.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.8

$62.6 $62.6

37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €32.16

$49.52 $49.52

-25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$73.6 $73.6

38.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$143 $143

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,331

$1,630 $1,630

-5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,059

$1,361 $1,361

-10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,339

$2,636 $2,636

2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,747

$2,192 $2,192

-8.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,264

$2,552 $2,552

182.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,502

$2,352 $2,352

120.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,047

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.61

-48.71%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rock Island, IL: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $1,630 in Rock Island, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $91.0 in Rock Island, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $371 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 Rock Island, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Rock Island, IL differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $2,540 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Barcelona and $3,810 in Rock Island, IL 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $1,630 in Rock Island, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $1,381 in Rock Island, IL. 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 $68.0 versus $91.0 in Rock Island, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona 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 Rock Island, 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Rock Island, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.