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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,697 in Urbana, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $2,688 in Urbana, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,679 in Urbana, IL.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 46% more expensive than in Urbana, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, Urbana, IL 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$19.70 $19.70

-6.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$64.0 $64.0

8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$9.82 $9.82

43.08%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$5.59 $5.59

-44.36%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$2.16 $2.16

37.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.57 $1.57

24.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$5.28 $5.28

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$5.84 $5.84

-20.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$0.69 $0.69

91.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.34 $2.34

-9.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.05 $3.05

-40.00%

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$2.95 $2.95

74.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$6.55 $6.55

168.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$9.00 $9.00

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$14.58 $14.58

36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

$3.86 $3.86

-17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

$1.28 $1.28

72.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$2.68 $2.68

-2.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.26 $2.26

26.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.18 $2.18

-0.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.92 $2.92

-27.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$2.92 $2.92

-44.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$1.38 $1.38

-36.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

$7.19 $7.19

-0.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$8.53 $8.53

-2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.81 $1.81

-17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.33 $1.33

106.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$1.01 $1.01

210.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

$3.04 $3.04

5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

$0.64 $0.64

135.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

$18.19 $18.19

93.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.87 $0.87

101.15%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$36.4K $36.4K

0.84%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$26.4K $26.4K

19.78%

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

$187 €161

$203 $203

-7.69%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$99.5 $99.5

-84.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$60.4 $60.4

-37.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$12.84 $12.84

-8.80%

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

$1,011 €871

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

$75.6 $75.6

20.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

$42.31 $42.31

-3.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

$66.9 $66.9

65.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$89.9 $89.9

40.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$751 $751

126.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

$586 $586

121.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$1,492 $1,492

73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

$1,345 $1,345

43.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$1,639 $1,639

371.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$1,662 $1,662

223.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$6,746 $6,746

-64.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.3

-49.84%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Urbana, IL: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $751 in Urbana, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Urbana, IL pays 184% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $64.0 in Urbana, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $281 per month, with Urbana, IL 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 Urbana, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Urbana, IL differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,697 including rent). Urbana, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 184% lower in Urbana, IL. 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $751 in Urbana, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Urbana, IL – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $1,697 in Urbana, IL – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,697 in Urbana, IL versus $2,482 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Urbana, IL but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Urbana, IL 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 Urbana, 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 Urbana, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.