Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,495 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,292 in Des Plaines, IL versus $3,550 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,445 in Des Plaines, IL versus $4,605 in Barcelona.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 26% more expensive than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Plaines, IL 128% above, Barcelona 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$18.39 €15.81

6.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$69.2 €59.5

29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$14.13 €12.15

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$3.13 €2.69

82.75%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$3.02 €2.59

-11.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.96 €1.69

16.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.00 €3.44

73.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$4.76 €4.09

60.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 €1.07

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.16 €1.86

69.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.69 €1.45

178.70%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$4.93 €4.24

-18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$17.88 €15.37

-15.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$9.61 €8.26

39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.88 $19.88

$19.34 €16.63

2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.24 €2.78

54.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.18 €1.87

-23.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.67 €2.30

52.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.77 €2.38

76.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.21 €1.90

27.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.19 €1.88

26.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.52 €1.31

38.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.92 €0.79

167.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$7.12 €6.12

47.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$8.14 €6.99

83.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.50 €1.29

69.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.78 €2.39

21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.15 €2.71

-35.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$26.99 €23.21

119.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.25 €2.79

-2.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.50 €1.29

-8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.51 $22.51

$34.89 €30.00

-35.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.75 €1.50

-42.86%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$36.7K €31.5K

-0.25%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$30.9K €26.6K

-17.60%

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

$193 $193

$188 €161

2.79%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$15.44 €13.27

285.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$37.80 €32.49

106.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 $122

$57.2 €49.16

114.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.05 $40.05

$16.80 €14.44

138.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$11.58 €9.95

28.07%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$1,003 €862

55.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$17.0K €14.6K

35.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$89.2 €76.7

-28.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$40.87 €35.14

24.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$110 €94.5

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$123 €105

-1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$1,331 €1,145

21.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,950 €1,676

14.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 $3,275

$7,573 €6,511

-56.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$5,370 €4,617

-53.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,177 $6,177

$2,402 €2,065

157.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

3.16

101.90%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Des Plaines, IL pays 157% 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: $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $332 per month, with Barcelona 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

Des Plaines, IL vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Plaines, IL and Barcelona differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $2,495 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 157% higher in Des Plaines, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,559 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,003 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,495 in Barcelona versus $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona 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, Des Plaines, IL 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.

Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.