Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and State College, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and State College, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,356 in Barcelona versus $2,380 in State College, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,455 in Barcelona versus $3,477 in State College, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,553 in Barcelona versus $4,575 in State College, PA.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 1% less than in State College, PA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, State College, PA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.64 €15.01

$18.03 $18.03

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.0

$51.0 $51.0

33.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.96 €11.88

$8.86 $8.86

57.56%

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.35

$4.54 $4.54

-39.21%

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

$2.76 €2.35

$2.61 $2.61

5.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.67

$2.04 $2.04

-3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 €3.85

$4.90 $4.90

-7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.85

$7.03 $7.03

-35.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.05

$0.93 $0.93

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 €1.73

$3.47 $3.47

-41.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 €1.63

$2.02 $2.02

-5.45%

Eggs

$3.39 €2.89

$3.92 $3.92

-13.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.34 €15.60

$9.92 $9.92

84.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 €7.99

$8.58 $8.58

9.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.08

$11.92 $11.92

58.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.23

$3.70 $3.70

-28.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.04

$1.57 $1.57

52.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.80

$4.94 $4.94

-57.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 €2.30

$4.95 $4.95

-45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.03 $2.03

0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.82 $2.82

-36.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$2.07 $2.07

-28.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.77

$1.50 $1.50

-39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €5.97

$13.96 $13.96

-49.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 €6.46

$17.93 $17.93

-57.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.22

$1.78 $1.78

-19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €1.97

$7.38 $7.38

-68.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.50

$2.26 $2.26

30.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.38 €25.00

$84.2 $84.2

-65.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 €3.85

$5.25 $5.25

-13.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$2.30 $2.30

-6.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 €24.65

$45.43 $45.43

-36.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$0.96 $0.96

96.88%

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

$39.0K €33.2K

$23.8K $23.8K

64.17%

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

$32.4K €27.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

35.83%

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

$189 €161

$161 $161

17.54%

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

$22.24 €18.92

$39.79 $39.79

-44.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 €31.12

$60.9 $60.9

-39.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.38

$24.91 $24.91

132.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.30 €18.13

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 €9.37

$11.91 $11.91

-7.56%

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

$731 €622

$893 $893

-18.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.6K

$28.5K $28.5K

-47.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 €76.0

$45.28 $45.28

97.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.38 €31.81

$40.18 $40.18

-6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €89.0

$80.8 $80.8

29.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.0

$115 $115

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 €1,320

$1,505 $1,505

3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,035

$1,190 $1,190

2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 €2,382

$2,837 $2,837

-1.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 €1,709

$1,992 $1,992

0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,161 €6,094

$2,623 $2,623

173.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,021 €4,273

$2,181 $2,181

130.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,462 €2,095

$4,372 $4,372

-43.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.53

-48.09%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 13, 2026

Last update for State College, PA: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,551 in Barcelona and $1,505 in State College, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

State College, PA pays 78% 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 $51 in State College, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $346, 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 State College, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and State College, PA differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,356 vs $2,380 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, State College, PA earns 78% 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: $1,551 in Barcelona versus $1,505 in State College, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $731 in Barcelona versus $893 in State College, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in State College, PA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,356 in Barcelona versus $2,380 in State College, PA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in State College, PA. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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 State College, PA 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 1% less than in State College, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.