Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Schaumburg, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Schaumburg, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $3,234 in Schaumburg, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $4,548 in Schaumburg, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $5,863 in Schaumburg, IL.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 28% less than in Schaumburg, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Schaumburg, IL 141% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.72

$14.80 $14.80

15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.7

$101 $101

-31.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 €11.87

$12.76 $12.76

7.99%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.37

$4.85 $4.85

-43.09%

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

$2.79 €2.40

$2.62 $2.62

6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.20 $2.20

-9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 €3.76

$4.46 $4.46

-2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.09

$6.29 $6.29

-24.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.86 $0.86

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 €1.77

$3.97 $3.97

-48.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$7.69 $7.69

-74.12%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.92

$4.04 $4.04

-16.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.81 €16.21

$14.73 $14.73

27.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 €8.07

$13.61 $13.61

-31.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 €16.48

$17.56 $17.56

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 €2.32

$5.53 $5.53

-51.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$3.02 $3.02

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$4.82 $4.82

-56.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$4.21 $4.21

-32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$3.36 $3.36

-41.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$3.37 $3.37

-46.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.98 $1.98

-26.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$3.58 $3.58

-75.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.84

$17.72 $17.72

-61.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 €6.81

$19.60 $19.60

-59.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.86 $1.86

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$5.40 $5.40

-56.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.52

$1.98 $1.98

47.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.69 €24.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 €3.84

$3.55 $3.55

25.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.63 $1.63

25.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.46

$29.22 $29.22

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.56

$0.87 $0.87

109.20%

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

$38.8K €33.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

47.50%

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

$33.1K €28.5K

$28.9K $28.9K

14.35%

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

$189 €163

$337 $337

-43.83%

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

$22.80 €19.65

$77.6 $77.6

-70.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.59 €32.39

$156 $156

-75.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 €49.75

$64.3 $64.3

-10.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

$40.19 $40.19

-48.40%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 €9.33

$20.33 $20.33

-46.78%

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

$728 €628

$1,293 $1,293

-43.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.7K

$83.6K $83.6K

-82.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.6 €76.4

$73.1 $73.1

21.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 €31.75

$50.0 $50.0

-26.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$99.1 $99.1

2.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €100

$122 $122

-4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 €1,352

$1,909 $1,909

-17.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,050

$1,720 $1,720

-29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 €2,409

$2,564 $2,564

9.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 €1,702

$2,361 $2,361

-16.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,754 €6,680

$2,179 $2,179

255.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,176 €4,460

$2,071 $2,071

149.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

$4,864 $4,864

-51.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.36

-46.70%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $1,909 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaumburg, IL pays 108% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $101 in Schaumburg, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $473 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 Schaumburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Schaumburg, IL differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $3,234 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Schaumburg, IL earns 108% less. 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: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $1,909 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $1,293 in Schaumburg, 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 $69.0 versus $101 in Schaumburg, 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 Schaumburg, 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 38% less than in Schaumburg, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.