Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,175 in Ecatepec versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,897 in Ecatepec versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,620 in Ecatepec versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Ecatepec costs roughly 49% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ecatepec is 12% below, Barcelona is 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.27 MX$233

$17.66 €15.45

-24.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 MX$823

$69.7 €61.0

-32.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 MX$161

$14.16 €12.39

-35.31%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.6

$2.80 €2.45

25.36%

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

$1.35 MX$23.72

$2.81 €2.46

-51.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.37

$2.06 €1.81

-51.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MX$52.5

$4.60 €4.02

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$82.5

$4.69 €4.10

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.14

$1.23 €1.08

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.89

$2.03 €1.78

31.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.84

$1.98 €1.73

-5.56%

Eggs

$2.56 MX$44.83

$3.49 €3.05

-26.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 MX$142

$18.33 €16.04

-55.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$9.83 €8.60

-15.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 MX$205

$19.13 €16.73

-39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$50.7

$2.73 €2.38

5.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.38 €2.09

-27.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$2.08 €1.82

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.90

$2.75 €2.41

-27.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.43

$1.96 €1.72

-5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 MX$40.21

$1.79 €1.57

27.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.58

$1.48 €1.29

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.80

$0.91 €0.80

17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MX$72.4

$7.13 €6.24

-42.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 MX$295

$7.88 €6.89

113.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$29.66

$1.38 €1.21

22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.8

$2.39 €2.09

54.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.50

$3.01 €2.63

-80.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.36 MX$515

$29.35 €25.68

0.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 MX$28.62

$4.36 €3.82

-62.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$2.13 €1.86

-85.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 MX$96.2

$29.60 €25.90

-81.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$22.16

$1.82 €1.59

-30.77%

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

$18.2K MX$319.0K

$37.9K €33.1K

-52.01%

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

$21.7K MX$380.7K

$32.4K €28.3K

-32.97%

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

$40.12 MX$704

$189 €165

-78.78%

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

$21.43 MX$376

$22.29 €19.50

-3.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.95 MX$525

$37.16 €32.51

-19.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.02 MX$439

$58.0 €50.8

-56.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.71 MX$188

$20.66 €18.08

-48.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 MX$109

$10.87 €9.51

-42.87%

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

$341 MX$5,973

$706 €618

-51.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 MX$63.7K

$14.9K €13.0K

-75.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,010

$89.4 €78.3

-35.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.16 MX$792

$36.60 €32.02

23.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,804

$104 €91.0

-1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,885

$119 €104

-9.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MX$8,905

$1,579 €1,381

-67.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 MX$6,880

$1,238 €1,083

-68.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$16.1K

$2,712 €2,373

-66.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 MX$13.3K

$2,039 €1,784

-62.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$808 MX$14.2K

$7,527 €6,585

-89.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 MX$14.0K

$5,239 €4,584

-84.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 MX$10.1K

$2,364 €2,068

-75.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

3.39

239.23%

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

Last update for Ecatepec: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Ecatepec and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 310% 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: $47.00 in Ecatepec vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $320 per month, with Ecatepec 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

Ecatepec vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ecatepec and Barcelona differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,175 vs $2,320 including rent). Ecatepec is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 310% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Ecatepec versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $341 in Ecatepec versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,175 in Ecatepec versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ecatepec but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ecatepec 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, Ecatepec 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 Ecatepec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.