Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethune and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethune: $1,759 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Bethune, France
Barcelona, Spain
Bethune
🇫🇷 France
$1,759
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bethune and in Barcelona

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,759 in Bethune versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Bethune $1,759
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,745 in Bethune versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Bethune $2,745
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Bethune versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Bethune $3,732
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Bethune costs roughly 28% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bethune 29% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.73 €15.91
$17.59 €15.78
0.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.4 €64.1
$67.5 €60.6
5.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.46 €12.08
$13.53 €12.14
-0.52%
Cappuccino
$3.15 €2.83
$3.19 €2.86
-1.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 €2.43
$2.91 €2.61
-6.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.47
$1.89 €1.70
-13.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.88 €6.17
$4.01 €3.60
71.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.57 €4.99
$4.53 €4.06
22.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 €1.18
$1.31 €1.17
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 €1.68
$2.02 €1.81
-6.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 €2.61
$1.85 €1.66
57.30%
Eggs
$4.26 €3.82
$4.83 €4.34
-11.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.31 €19.12
$16.74 €15.02
27.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.60 €11.30
$9.12 €8.18
38.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.13 €20.76
$19.64 €17.62
17.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 €2.59
$2.98 €2.67
-3.02%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.02 €1.81
5.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 €2.13
$2.70 €2.42
-12.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.03 €2.72
$2.80 €2.52
8.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$2.09 €1.87
-11.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 €1.83
$2.07 €1.86
-1.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 €1.32
$1.46 €1.31
1.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 €0.52
$0.94 €0.84
-38.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.77 €12.35
$6.87 €6.17
100.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.97 €7.15
$7.89 €7.08
1.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.59
$1.41 €1.26
25.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.27
$2.54 €2.27
-0.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 €1.59
$3.14 €2.82
-43.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.0 €44.88
$25.45 €22.83
96.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.22 €1.99
$2.99 €2.68
-25.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 €1.94
$1.49 €1.34
44.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.84 €21.39
$33.37 €29.95
-28.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.80 €1.61
9.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K €31.6K
$33.2K €29.8K
6.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K €33.9K
$31.7K €28.4K
19.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 €161
$180 €162
-0.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.11 €13.56
$13.84 €12.42
9.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.20 €27.10
$33.70 €30.24
-10.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.27 €31.65
$51.5 €46.22
-31.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.96 €15.22
$15.96 €14.32
6.27%
Cinema Ticket
$10.12 €9.08
$10.99 €9.87
-7.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$621 €557
$917 €823
-32.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,147 €7,311
$16.5K €14.8K
-50.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 €78.7
$87.0 €78.1
0.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.83 €33.94
$38.51 €34.55
-1.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.8 €69.8
$106 €94.9
-26.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.4 €87.4
$120 €107
-18.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$767 €688
$1,699 €1,525
-54.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 €565
$1,355 €1,216
-53.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,473 €1,322
$2,603 €2,335
-43.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,139 €1,022
$2,062 €1,851
-44.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,586 €4,115
$6,915 €6,205
-33.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,479 €3,122
$5,128 €4,601
-32.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bethune
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,709 €3,329
$2,211 €1,984
67.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.92
3.28
19.51%

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

Last update for Bethune: October 24, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bethune
$629
Barcelona
$1.4K 115% $726
Groceries & Markets
Bethune
$361
Barcelona
$322 10.9% $39
Eating Out
Bethune
$283
Barcelona
$268 5.3% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bethune
$225
Barcelona
$228 1.5% $3.4
Clothing & Footwear
Bethune
$135
Barcelona
$158 16.7% $23
Getting Around
Bethune
$70
Barcelona
$48 30.9% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Bethune
$56
Barcelona
$74 32.4% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $767 in Bethune and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bethune pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71 in Bethune vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $322 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Bethune
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
18:19 6:19 PM
18:19 6:19 PM
Same time as Bethune
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,992
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bethune Barcelona 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bethune
  • Barcelona

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
Bethune vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bethune and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,759 in Bethune and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Bethune is about 28% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Bethune or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 68% higher in Bethune, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Bethune and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $767 in Bethune versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Bethune and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $621 in Bethune versus $917 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,759 in Bethune versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bethune but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Bethune the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Bethune and Barcelona?
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 Bethune or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Bethune and Barcelona are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Bethune vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?