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: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $1,708 in Wausau, WI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $2,700 in Wausau, WI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $3,691 in Wausau, WI.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 37% more expensive than Wausau, WI, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Wausau, WI 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$18.59 $18.59

-6.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$64.1 $64.1

8.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$8.70 $8.70

59.89%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$4.93 $4.93

-44.42%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$2.92 $2.92

-7.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$1.96 $1.96

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$5.05 $5.05

-10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$5.61 $5.61

-17.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$0.82 $0.82

56.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.89 $2.89

-27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$4.39 $4.39

-54.67%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$4.34 $4.34

-20.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$8.97 $8.97

107.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$6.52 $6.52

44.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$13.53 $13.53

38.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$4.32 $4.32

-39.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.17 $1.17

104.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$3.98 $3.98

-44.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$4.10 $4.10

-31.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$1.82 $1.82

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$2.09 $2.09

-10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$2.00 $2.00

-27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.01 $1.01

-8.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$8.49 $8.49

-19.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$9.21 $9.21

-16.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.79 $1.79

-22.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.27 $2.27

2.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$2.03 $2.03

41.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$2.87 $2.87

54.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$1.57 $1.57

36.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$20.96 $20.96

38.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$0.79 $0.79

140.51%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$30.2K $30.2K

25.38%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

28.73%

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

$186 €158

$167 $167

11.37%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$47.41 $47.41

-53.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$62.5 $62.5

-41.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$30.35 $30.35

92.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$6.12 $6.12

81.37%

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

$705 €601

$1,819 $1,819

-61.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$24.6K $24.6K

-38.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$24.78 $24.78

248.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$44.66 $44.66

-17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$66.2 $66.2

57.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$86.5 $86.5

33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$938 $938

63.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$702 $702

76.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$1,600 $1,600

70.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$1,337 $1,337

50.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

$1,685 $1,685

324.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

$1,702 $1,702

184.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$3,515 $3,515

-29.61%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Wausau, WI: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $938 in Wausau, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wausau, WI pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70 in Barcelona vs $64 in Wausau, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $299 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 37% in total monthly costs ($2,336 vs $1,708 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 42% 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: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $938 in Wausau, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $1,819 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 $64.0 versus $70.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,708 in Wausau, WI versus $2,336 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 37% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.