Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sherbrooke Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sherbrooke

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $1,745 in Sherbrooke.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $2,616 in Sherbrooke.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $3,487 in Sherbrooke.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 33% more expensive than in Sherbrooke, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Sherbrooke 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.45

$18.45 CA$25.86

-4.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$70.8 CA$99.3

-1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.39

$10.85 CA$15.22

30.51%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.33 CA$4.66

-15.92%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.03 CA$2.84

38.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$1.86 CA$2.61

10.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$5.97 CA$8.36

-22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$5.11 CA$7.16

-8.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$2.78 CA$3.90

-55.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.90 CA$4.07

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$3.85 CA$5.39

-48.57%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.22 CA$4.51

8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.04

$12.12 CA$16.99

51.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.60

$10.02 CA$14.05

-1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.73

$16.39 CA$22.98

16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$5.06 CA$7.09

-46.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.55 CA$2.18

53.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$3.86 CA$5.41

-46.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.27 CA$4.58

-15.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$1.77 CA$2.48

10.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.02 CA$2.83

-11.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.85 CA$2.60

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.82 CA$2.55

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$12.78 CA$17.92

-44.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.89

$12.59 CA$17.64

-37.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$3.77 CA$5.29

-63.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$3.60 CA$5.05

-33.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$2.82 CA$3.95

6.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.68

$63.3 CA$88.7

-53.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$3.76 CA$5.27

15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.81 CA$1.14

162.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.90

$34.44 CA$48.28

-14.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.17 CA$1.64

55.56%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$24.8K CA$34.7K

52.98%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$21.0K CA$29.4K

54.39%

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

$189 €165

$73.9 CA$104

155.79%

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

$22.29 €19.50

$43.69 CA$61.3

-48.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.51

$53.0 CA$74.3

-29.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$29.69 CA$41.63

95.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.08

$6.88 CA$9.64

200.29%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.51

$10.22 CA$14.34

6.36%

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

$706 €618

$885 CA$1,241

-20.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$9,863 CA$13.8K

50.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$63.3 CA$88.7

41.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.02

$31.12 CA$43.63

17.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.0

$65.3 CA$91.6

59.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$106 CA$149

12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,381

$875 CA$1,227

80.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,083

$653 CA$915

89.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,373

$1,253 CA$1,756

116.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,784

$1,018 CA$1,427

100.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,585

$2,170 CA$3,042

246.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,584

$1,770 CA$2,482

195.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,068

$2,743 CA$3,846

-13.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.32

-46.36%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sherbrooke: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $875 in Sherbrooke. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sherbrooke pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $71.0 in Sherbrooke for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $377 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 Sherbrooke: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sherbrooke differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $1,745 including rent). Sherbrooke is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Sherbrooke. 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: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $875 in Sherbrooke. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $885 in Sherbrooke. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,745 in Sherbrooke versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sherbrooke but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sherbrooke 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 Sherbrooke 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 Sherbrooke gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.