Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saint-Joseph Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Saint-Joseph

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $1,551 in Saint-Joseph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $2,210 in Saint-Joseph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $2,869 in Saint-Joseph.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 52% more expensive than in Saint-Joseph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Saint-Joseph 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$11.52 €9.98

48.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$58.1 €50.4

17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$10.29 €8.91

32.56%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$2.24 €1.94

24.11%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$3.46 €3.00

-18.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.26 €1.96

-13.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$3.52 €3.05

25.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$4.51 €3.91

2.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.88 €1.62

-32.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$1.41 €1.22

51.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$5.69 €4.92

-40.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$5.90 €5.11

221.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$9.23 €8.00

3.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$17.64 €15.28

6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$3.42 €2.96

-47.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$2.26 €1.96

-60.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$17.69 €15.32

-61.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$9.32 €8.07

-15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.30 €1.99

-40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$3.45 €2.99

-30.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$2.25 €1.95

29.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$40.96 €35.47

-30.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$2.26 €1.96

-19.47%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

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

$32.5K €28.1K

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

$187 €162

$236 €204

-20.75%

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

$22.29 €19.30

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$45.63 €39.52

-20.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$22.78 €19.73

152.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$11.45 €9.91

-5.94%

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

$725 €628

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$69.8 €60.4

25.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$23.39 €20.25

57.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$93.5 €81.0

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$175 €151

-32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$703 €609

116.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$575 €498

113.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$1,055 €914

158.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$802 €694

147.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$1,388 €1,202

72.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saint-Joseph: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $703 in Saint-Joseph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 72% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $58.0 in Saint-Joseph for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $243 per month, with Saint-Joseph 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 Saint-Joseph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Saint-Joseph differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $1,551 including rent). Saint-Joseph is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 72% higher in Barcelona, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $703 in Saint-Joseph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint-Joseph – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Saint-Joseph runs roughly 43% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,551 in Saint-Joseph versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saint-Joseph but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Joseph 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-Joseph 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-Joseph gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.