Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Wausau, WI Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Wausau, WI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,745 in Wausau, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,708 in Wausau, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $3,671 in Wausau, WI.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 36% more expensive than Wausau, WI, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Wausau, WI 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 €15.26

$18.67 $18.67

-5.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 €59.4

$65.2 $65.2

4.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.06 €12.20

$8.39 $8.39

67.58%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$5.13 $5.13

-45.81%

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

$2.80 €2.43

$3.09 $3.09

-9.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.79

$2.04 $2.04

0.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 €3.87

$4.97 $4.97

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €4.00

$5.58 $5.58

-17.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$0.81 $0.81

53.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.76

$2.90 $2.90

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.67

$4.39 $4.39

-56.26%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.87

$4.30 $4.30

-23.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.43 €15.99

$8.59 $8.59

114.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 €8.23

$6.46 $6.46

46.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 €16.62

$13.52 $13.52

41.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 €2.29

$4.31 $4.31

-38.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$1.12 $1.12

118.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$3.97 $3.97

-46.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$4.16 $4.16

-31.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.87 $1.87

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.12 $2.12

-12.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.28

$2.01 $2.01

-26.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.02 $1.02

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.20

$8.56 $8.56

-16.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.84

$8.73 $8.73

-9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$1.83 $1.83

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.31 $2.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.59

$1.95 $1.95

52.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 €25.39

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 €3.99

$2.82 $2.82

63.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.62 $1.62

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.18 €25.32

$20.89 $20.89

39.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$0.83 $0.83

121.69%

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

$39.0K €33.8K

$30.5K $30.5K

27.85%

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

$32.7K €28.4K

$26.5K $26.5K

23.56%

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

$188 €163

$164 $164

14.66%

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

$22.93 €19.90

$49.02 $49.02

-53.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.71 €31.85

$64.7 $64.7

-43.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 €49.78

$29.66 $29.66

93.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.70 €17.96

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 €9.71

$6.05 $6.05

84.96%

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

$721 €625

$1,794 $1,794

-59.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €13.1K

$24.4K $24.4K

-38.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 €74.8

$25.07 $25.07

243.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 €32.16

$45.03 $45.03

-17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.5

$65.7 $65.7

55.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$86.2 $86.2

34.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,331

$921 $921

66.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 €1,059

$711 $711

71.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,696 €2,339

$1,582 $1,582

70.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,747

$1,371 $1,371

46.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,264

$1,680 $1,680

329.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,502

$1,692 $1,692

206.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,047

$3,500 $3,500

-32.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

6.55

-48.24%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wausau, WI: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $921 in Wausau, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wausau, WI pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $65.0 in Wausau, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $297 per month, with Wausau, WI 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 Wausau, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Wausau, WI differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,745 including rent). Wausau, WI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Wausau, WI earns 48% 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: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $921 in Wausau, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $1,794 in Wausau, WI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Wausau, WI – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $68.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,745 in Wausau, WI versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wausau, WI but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Wausau, WI 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 Wausau, WI 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 Wausau, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.