Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Wilmington, DE

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,443 a month against $2,557 in Wilmington, DE, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Wilmington, DE, United States
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,443
/mo nomad
Wilmington, DE
🇺🇸 United States
$2,557
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Wilmington, DE

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Wilmington, DE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Barcelona versus $2,557 in Wilmington, DE.

  • Barcelona $2,443
  • Wilmington, DE $2,557

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Barcelona versus $3,433 in Wilmington, DE.

  • Barcelona $3,519
  • Wilmington, DE $3,433

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Barcelona versus $4,309 in Wilmington, DE.

  • Barcelona $4,595
  • Wilmington, DE $4,309

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 4% less than in Wilmington, DE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Wilmington, DE 89% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66 €15.80
$20.04 $20.04
-11.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.4
$74.8 $74.8
-9.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.61 €12.18
$10.30 $10.30
32.14%
Cappuccino
$3.10 €2.77
$4.95 $4.95
-37.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.69
$2.19 $2.19
36.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.31 $1.31
47.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.84 €3.44
$4.05 $4.05
-5.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 €3.90
$6.13 $6.13
-28.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.13 $1.13
10.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.90
$3.06 $3.06
-30.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.76 $2.76
-28.62%
Eggs
$4.76 €4.26
$3.08 $3.08
54.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.07 €15.27
$9.32 $9.32
83.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.96 €8.01
$8.50 $8.50
5.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.65 €18.48
$14.58 $14.58
41.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.83
$4.63 $4.63
-31.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.32 $1.32
49.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.37
$4.44 $4.44
-40.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 €2.58
$3.83 $3.83
-24.80%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 €1.84
$2.54 $2.54
-18.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 €1.95
$2.46 $2.46
-11.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.37
$2.04 $2.04
-25.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 €0.87
$0.98 $0.98
-1.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.23
$9.92 $9.92
-29.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 €7.06
$12.96 $12.96
-39.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 €1.27
$2.42 $2.42
-41.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 €2.40
$3.70 $3.70
-27.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.31 €2.96
$2.05 $2.05
61.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.61 €22.91
$60.2 $60.2
-57.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 €2.76
$3.89 $3.89
-20.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 €1.33
$1.59 $1.59
-6.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.87 €29.42
$27.47 $27.47
19.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 €1.67
$1.06 $1.06
76.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K €29.5K
$27.3K $27.3K
20.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K €28.6K
$25.6K $25.6K
24.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €164
$270 $270
-32.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.24 €12.74
$50.7 $50.7
-71.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.56 €30.93
$59.8 $59.8
-42.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 €46.01
$24.69 $24.69
108.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.38 €14.66
$15.19 $15.19
7.83%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.90
$11.87 $11.87
-6.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$944 €844
$1,605 $1,605
-41.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K €19.9K
$25.7K $25.7K
-13.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €78.5
$36.92 $36.92
137.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.77 €34.70
$47.59 $47.59
-18.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.6
$84.1 $84.1
24.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €105
$90.8 $90.8
29.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,697 €1,518
$1,729 $1,729
-1.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 €1,196
$1,308 $1,308
2.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,692 €2,409
$2,728 $2,728
-1.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,077 €1,858
$1,613 $1,613
28.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,155 €6,402
$2,215 $2,215
223.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,079 €4,545
$2,081 $2,081
144.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Wilmington, DE
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,241 €2,006
$3,946 $3,946
-43.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
6.3
-49.37%

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

Last update for Barcelona: November 2, 2026

Last update for Wilmington, DE: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Wilmington, DE
$1.3K 2.1% $29
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$328
Wilmington, DE
$325 0.7% $2.3
Eating Out
Barcelona
$267
Wilmington, DE
$297 11.3% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$232
Wilmington, DE
$380 64.2% $149
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$157
Wilmington, DE
$117 25.6% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$74
Wilmington, DE
$48 34.2% $25
Getting Around
Barcelona
$49
Wilmington, DE
$80 62.7% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,697 in Barcelona and $1,729 in Wilmington, DE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wilmington, DE pays 76% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $67 in Barcelona vs $75 in Wilmington, DE. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $325, with Wilmington, DE cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇺🇸 Wilmington, DE
🕒 Local time
16:22 4:22 PM
10:22 10:22 AM
6 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
72,826
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.895 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Wilmington, DE 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Wilmington, DE

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Wilmington, DE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Wilmington, DE?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,443 in Barcelona and $2,557 in Wilmington, DE, so Barcelona is about 4% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Barcelona. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Wilmington, DE?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,697 in Barcelona versus $1,729 in Wilmington, DE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Wilmington, DE?
Childcare runs $944 in Barcelona versus $1,605 in Wilmington, DE. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Barcelona – a meal for two runs $67 versus $75 in Wilmington, DE. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How far does $3,000 go in Barcelona compared to Wilmington, DE?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Barcelona gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Wilmington, DE?
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.
How do I decide between Barcelona and Wilmington, DE?
It comes down to priorities – Barcelona wins on affordability, Wilmington, DE on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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