Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saint Charles, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saint Charles, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,476 in Barcelona versus $2,112 in Saint Charles, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,545 in Barcelona versus $3,365 in Saint Charles, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $4,619 in Saint Charles, MO.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 17% more expensive than in Saint Charles, MO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Saint Charles, MO 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$14.91 $14.91

25.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$63.4 $63.4

9.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$13.60 $13.60

1.25%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.78 $4.78

-35.15%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$2.89 $2.89

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.08 $1.08

74.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$5.12 $5.12

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$6.08 $6.08

-25.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$0.95 $0.95

33.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$2.29 $2.29

-5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$5.52 $5.52

-68.12%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$3.82 $3.82

34.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$12.34 $12.34

44.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$15.66 $15.66

-38.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$18.20 $18.20

10.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$3.69 $3.69

-11.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.73 $2.73

-18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$5.36 $5.36

-51.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$6.76 $6.76

-59.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$3.49 $3.49

-36.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$2.89 $2.89

-26.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.97 $1.97

-21.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$2.96 $2.96

-67.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$12.04 $12.04

-39.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$13.03 $13.03

-38.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$2.16 $2.16

-28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$4.37 $4.37

-36.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$5.10 $5.10

-39.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$3.43 $3.43

-4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.16 $2.16

-31.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

$17.26 $17.26

98.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$0.80 $0.80

116.25%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-1.21%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$27.3K $27.3K

11.84%

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

$187 €163

$232 $232

-19.44%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$52.2 $52.2

-71.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$65.0 $65.0

-42.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$49.89 $49.89

12.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$14.83 $14.83

-23.06%

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

$997 €868

$1,018 $1,018

-2.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$12.7K $12.7K

29.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$64.9 $64.9

42.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$32.75 $32.75

25.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$64.6 $64.6

72.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$97.6 $97.6

28.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$1,496 $1,496

14.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$798 $798

61.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$1,938 $1,938

32.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$1,905 $1,905

1.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

$4,171 $4,171

-43.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.36

-50.31%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Charles, MO: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Barcelona and $1,496 in Saint Charles, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Charles, MO pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $63.0 in Saint Charles, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $435, 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 Saint Charles, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Saint Charles, MO differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,476 vs $2,112 including rent). Saint Charles, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Saint Charles, MO. 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: $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,496 in Saint Charles, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $997 in Barcelona versus $1,018 in Saint Charles, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint Charles, MO – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,112 in Saint Charles, MO versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Saint Charles, MO but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Charles, MO 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 Saint Charles, MO 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 Saint Charles, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.