Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookhaven, NY and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Brookhaven, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,722
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brookhaven, NY 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 Brookhaven, NY and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,722 in Brookhaven, NY versus $2,381 in Barcelona.

  • Brookhaven, NY $2,722
  • Barcelona $2,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,065 in Brookhaven, NY versus $3,406 in Barcelona.

  • Brookhaven, NY $4,065
  • Barcelona $3,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,408 in Brookhaven, NY versus $4,431 in Barcelona.

  • Brookhaven, NY $5,408
  • Barcelona $4,431

Living in Brookhaven, NY is roughly 14% more expensive than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brookhaven, NY 101% above, Barcelona 76% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.74 $24.74
$17.89 €15.92
38.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.9 $98.9
$66.2 €58.9
49.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.20 $11.20
$13.69 €12.18
-18.19%
Cappuccino
$5.35 $5.35
$3.06 €2.72
74.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.07 €2.73
-27.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.94 €1.73
-20.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.01 $8.01
$3.87 €3.44
106.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.20 $8.20
$4.61 €4.10
77.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.30 €1.16
-3.08%
White Bread (500g)
$4.31 $4.31
$2.10 €1.87
105.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.76 $7.76
$1.83 €1.62
324.04%
Eggs
$5.75 $5.75
$4.62 €4.11
24.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.61 $12.61
$17.36 €15.44
-27.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 $11.62
$9.28 €8.25
25.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.07 $17.07
$19.83 €17.64
-13.92%
Apples (1kg)
$5.54 $5.54
$3.01 €2.68
84.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 $1.73
$2.03 €1.81
-14.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.16 $6.16
$2.65 €2.36
132.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.14 $6.14
$2.87 €2.55
113.94%
Potato (1kg)
$5.47 $5.47
$2.16 €1.92
153.24%
Onion (1kg)
$3.77 $3.77
$2.15 €1.91
75.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 $2.79
$1.47 €1.31
89.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$0.88 €0.79
234.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.50 $11.50
$6.93 €6.16
65.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.08 $24.08
$7.83 €6.96
207.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.39 €1.24
23.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.49 $5.49
$2.63 €2.34
108.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.86 $1.86
$2.91 €2.59
-36.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.46 €22.64
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 $2.93
$3.00 €2.66
-2.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.44 €1.28
40.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.54 $23.54
$33.20 €29.53
-29.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$1.86 €1.65
-40.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$32.3K €28.8K
-14.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$31.7K €28.2K
-15.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 $211
$183 €163
15.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.6 $75.6
$13.61 €12.11
455.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.3 $64.3
$32.93 €29.29
95.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.96 $40.96
$54.7 €48.65
-25.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.52 €14.70
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.76 $14.76
$11.23 €9.99
31.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,237 $2,237
$954 €849
134.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.6K $23.6K
$16.6K €14.8K
41.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.13 $41.13
$86.0 €76.5
-52.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.5 $56.5
$39.11 €34.78
44.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.1 $76.1
$104 €92.2
-26.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$158 $158
$119 €106
33.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,587 $1,587
$1,695 €1,508
-6.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,275 $1,275
$1,276 €1,135
-0.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,527 $2,527
$2,576 €2,291
-1.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,118 $2,118
$1,922 €1,710
10.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,099 $3,099
$7,281 €6,477
-57.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,127 $2,127
$5,010 €4,456
-57.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brookhaven, NY
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,227 €1,981
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
3.28
105.79%

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

Last update for Brookhaven, NY: October 18, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brookhaven, NY
$1.3K
Barcelona
$1.3K 0.1% $1.2
Groceries & Markets
Brookhaven, NY
$489
Barcelona
$325 33.5% $163
Eating Out
Brookhaven, NY
$367
Barcelona
$270 26.6% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brookhaven, NY
$351
Barcelona
$229 34.6% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Brookhaven, NY
$149
Barcelona
$156 4.7% $7
Sport & Entertainment
Brookhaven, NY
$70
Barcelona
$77 9.5% $6.7
Getting Around
Brookhaven, NY
$21 *
Barcelona
$47 131% $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 $1,587 in Brookhaven, NY and $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Brookhaven, NY vs $66.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $489 vs $325 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Brookhaven, NY
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
07:43 7:43 AM
13:43 1:43 PM
6 h ahead of Brookhaven, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,674
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brookhaven, NY Barcelona 6,080 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brookhaven, NY
  • 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
Brookhaven, NY vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Brookhaven, NY and in Barcelona?
Brookhaven, NY and Barcelona differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,722 vs $2,381 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Brookhaven, NY compared to Barcelona?
You'd need roughly $4,083 in Brookhaven, NY and $3,571 in Barcelona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Brookhaven, NY and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Brookhaven, NY versus $1,695 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 Brookhaven, NY and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $2,237 in Brookhaven, NY versus $954 in Barcelona. 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 $99.0 in Brookhaven, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Brookhaven, NY 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 Brookhaven, NY or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Brookhaven, NY and Barcelona 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: Brookhaven, NY or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Brookhaven, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Brookhaven, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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