Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Yelm, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $2,622 in Yelm, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Yelm, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,622
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Yelm, WA

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 Yelm, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,381 in Barcelona versus $2,622 in Yelm, WA.

  • Barcelona $2,381
  • Yelm, WA $2,622

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Barcelona versus $3,646 in Yelm, WA.

  • Barcelona $3,406
  • Yelm, WA $3,646

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,431 in Barcelona versus $4,669 in Yelm, WA.

  • Barcelona $4,431
  • Yelm, WA $4,669

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 9% less than in Yelm, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 76% above, Yelm, WA 93% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €15.92
$20.27 $20.27
-11.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €58.9
$65.1 $65.1
1.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.69 €12.18
$12.69 $12.69
7.88%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.72
$5.39 $5.39
-43.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.73
$2.91 $2.91
5.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.66 $1.66
16.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 €3.44
$6.34 $6.34
-38.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €4.10
$7.03 $7.03
-34.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.12 $1.12
16.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.87
$3.63 $3.63
-42.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.62
$3.06 $3.06
-40.20%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.11
$5.09 $5.09
-9.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 €15.44
$9.21 $9.21
88.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.25
$10.62 $10.62
-12.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.83 €17.64
$13.27 $13.27
49.43%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.68
$4.29 $4.29
-29.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.81
$1.22 $1.22
66.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.36
$4.10 $4.10
-35.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 €2.55
$1.95 $1.95
47.18%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.92
$1.58 $1.58
36.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.91
$1.51 $1.51
42.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$0.84 $0.84
75.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.56 $0.56
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.93 €6.16
$12.15 $12.15
-42.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 €6.96
$14.80 $14.80
-47.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$2.27 $2.27
-38.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.35 $2.35
11.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 €2.59
$2.18 $2.18
33.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 €22.64
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.66
$2.02 $2.02
48.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.82 $1.82
-20.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.20 €29.53
$14.76 $14.76
124.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.65
$1.30 $1.30
43.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.8K
$28.5K $28.5K
13.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.2K
$26.6K $26.6K
19.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €163
$159 $159
14.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 €12.11
$70.4 $70.4
-80.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.29
$94.9 $94.9
-65.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 €48.65
$38.85 $38.85
40.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 €14.70
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €9.99
$9.52 $9.52
17.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$954 €849
$1,455 $1,455
-34.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.8K
$31.1K $31.1K
-46.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.5
$39.88 $39.88
115.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 €34.78
$29.45 $29.45
32.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.2
$88.3 $88.3
17.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$103 $103
15.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 €1,508
$1,486 $1,486
14.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 €1,135
$1,454 $1,454
-12.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,576 €2,291
$2,558 $2,558
0.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 €1,710
$2,129 $2,129
-9.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,281 €6,477
$3,108 $3,108
134.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,010 €4,456
$2,162 $2,162
131.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Yelm, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,227 €1,981
$8,918 $8,918
-75.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
6.59
-50.23%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Last update for Yelm, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Yelm, WA
$1.5K 13.9% $178
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$325
Yelm, WA
$319 1.8% $6
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Yelm, WA
$329 22.1% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$229
Yelm, WA
$325 41.6% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$156
Yelm, WA
$117 25.1% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$77
Yelm, WA
$58 25% $19
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Yelm, WA
$20 * 58% $27

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $1,486 in Yelm, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yelm, WA pays 300% 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: $66.0 in Barcelona vs $65.0 in Yelm, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $319 per month, with Yelm, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇺🇸 Yelm, WA
🕒 Local time
19:18 7:18 PM
10:18 10:18 AM
9 h behind Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
10,617
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Yelm, WA 8,780 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Yelm, WA

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 Yelm, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Yelm, WA?
Barcelona and Yelm, WA differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,381 vs $2,622 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 300% lower in Yelm, WA. 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 Yelm, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $1,486 in Yelm, WA. 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 Yelm, WA?
Childcare runs $954 in Barcelona versus $1,455 in Yelm, WA. 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 $66.0 versus $65.0 in Yelm, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,381 in Barcelona versus $2,622 in Yelm, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Yelm, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Yelm, WA?
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.
Is Barcelona or Yelm, WA safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Yelm, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Yelm, WA?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Yelm, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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