Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sparta Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Sparta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,356 in Barcelona versus $1,366 in Sparta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,455 in Barcelona versus $2,003 in Sparta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,553 in Barcelona versus $2,639 in Sparta.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 72% more expensive than Sparta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Sparta 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.01

$9.08 €7.73

94.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.0

$52.1 €44.30

30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.96 €11.88

$8.46 €7.20

65.01%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.35

$2.37 €2.02

16.46%

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

$2.76 €2.35

$1.24 €1.06

122.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.67

$0.57 €0.48

245.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 €3.85

$4.73 €4.02

-4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.85

$4.50 €3.83

0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.05

$1.68 €1.43

-26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 €1.73

$1.32 €1.12

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 €1.63

$2.29 €1.95

-16.59%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.89

$4.10 €3.49

-17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.34 €15.60

$11.30 €9.61

62.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 €7.99

$8.96 €7.62

4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.08

$14.10 €12.00

34.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.23

$2.22 €1.89

18.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.04

$2.48 €2.11

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.80

$1.71 €1.45

23.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 €2.30

$2.50 €2.12

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.21 €1.03

69.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.27 €1.08

40.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$0.90 €0.77

63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.77

$1.19 €1.01

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €5.97

$5.39 €4.59

30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 €6.46

$6.35 €5.40

19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.22

$2.47 €2.10

-41.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €1.97

$3.80 €3.23

-38.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.50

$1.58 €1.34

86.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.38 €25.00

$46.90 €39.91

-37.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.85

$4.12 €3.50

9.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 €24.65

$11.68 €9.94

148.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$2.19 €1.86

-13.70%

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

$39.0K €33.2K

$25.9K €22.0K

50.87%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$25.5K €21.7K

27.40%

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

$189 €161

$217 €185

-13.16%

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

$22.24 €18.92

$22.31 €18.99

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 €31.12

$32.52 €27.68

12.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.38

$47.28 €40.23

22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.30 €18.13

$26.48 €22.53

-19.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 €9.37

$9.31 €7.92

18.26%

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

$731 €622

$246 €209

197.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.6K

$2,927 €2,491

406.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €76.0

$65.3 €55.6

36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.38 €31.81

$32.41 €27.58

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €89.0

$66.8 €56.9

56.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.0

$93.2 €79.3

24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 €1,320

$501 €426

209.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,035

$385 €328

215.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 €2,382

$764 €650

266.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$529 €450

279.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,161 €6,094

$3,130 €2,663

128.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,021 €4,273

$2,554 €2,174

96.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 €2,095

$996 €848

147.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.42

-23.30%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sparta: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Barcelona and $501 in Sparta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 147% 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 in Barcelona vs $52 in Sparta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $279 per month, with Sparta 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 Sparta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Sparta differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($2,356 vs $1,366 including rent). Sparta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barcelona pays 147% more on average, 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: $1,551 in Barcelona versus $501 in Sparta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $731 in Barcelona versus $246 in Sparta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,366 in Sparta versus $2,356 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sparta but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Sparta 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 Sparta 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 Sparta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.