Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamilton and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,831 in Hamilton versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $9,260 in Hamilton versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $13.7K in Hamilton versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 104% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 261% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$60.6 BMD 60.6

$17.58 €15.12

244.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$177 BMD 177

$68.4 €58.9

158.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.87 BMD 14.87

$14.06 €12.09

5.76%

Cappuccino

$6.46 BMD 6.46

$2.78 €2.39

132.37%

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

$3.37 BMD 3.37

$2.80 €2.41

20.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 BMD 2.90

$2.06 €1.78

40.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.16 BMD 10.16

$4.46 €3.84

127.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.44 BMD 8.44

$4.61 €3.96

83.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.38 BMD 4.38

$1.24 €1.07

253.23%

White Bread (500g)

$8.71 BMD 8.71

$2.03 €1.74

329.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.59 BMD 5.59

$1.92 €1.65

191.15%

Eggs

$7.75 BMD 7.75

$3.31 €2.85

134.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 BMD 11.49

$18.43 €15.85

-37.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.12 BMD 24.12

$9.49 €8.16

154.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.75 BMD 31.75

$19.16 €16.48

65.71%

Apples (1kg)

$10.16 BMD 10.16

$2.64 €2.27

284.85%

Banana (1kg)

$6.18 BMD 6.18

$2.45 €2.11

152.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$12.86 BMD 12.86

$2.12 €1.82

506.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.27 BMD 11.27

$2.85 €2.45

295.44%

Potato (1kg)

$8.15 BMD 8.15

$2.04 €1.75

299.51%

Onion (1kg)

$4.96 BMD 4.96

$1.85 €1.59

168.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.06 BMD 6.06

$1.47 €1.26

312.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 BMD 3.21

$0.84 €0.73

282.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.58 BMD 17.58

$7.14 €6.14

146.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.56 BMD 24.56

$7.88 €6.78

211.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.47 BMD 5.47

$1.38 €1.19

296.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 BMD 4.43

$2.31 €1.99

91.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.81 BMD 4.81

$2.98 €2.56

61.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 BMD 68.1

$29.26 €25.17

132.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 BMD 6.40

$4.60 €3.95

39.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.44 BMD 3.44

$2.07 €1.78

66.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.8 BMD 54.8

$29.18 €25.10

87.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 BMD 2.36

$1.84 €1.58

28.26%

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

$35.0K BMD 35.0K

$39.0K €33.6K

-10.21%

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

$39.7K BMD 39.7K

$32.7K €28.1K

21.52%

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

$234 BMD 234

$188 €162

24.74%

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

$117 BMD 117

$22.93 €19.73

412.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$156 BMD 156

$36.71 €31.58

324.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$191 BMD 191

$57.4 €49.35

233.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.31 BMD 32.31

$20.70 €17.80

56.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 BMD 13.73

$11.19 €9.63

22.70%

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

$1,338 BMD 1,338

$721 €620

85.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K BMD 24.5K

$15.0K €12.9K

63.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 BMD 78.8

$86.2 €74.2

-8.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 BMD 60.9

$37.07 €31.89

64.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 BMD 138

$102 €87.8

35.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 BMD 126

$116 €99.7

8.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,342 BMD 3,342

$1,534 €1,319

117.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,198 BMD 2,198

$1,220 €1,050

80.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,541 BMD 8,541

$2,696 €2,319

216.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$7,359 BMD 7,359

$2,013 €1,732

265.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.1K BMD 15.1K

$7,220 €6,211

108.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,439 BMD 9,439

$5,189 €4,463

81.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,759 BMD 6,759

$2,359 €2,029

186.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.22

3.39

112.98%

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

Last update for Hamilton: June 1, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,342 in Hamilton and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 186% 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: $177 in Hamilton vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $813 vs $318 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

Hamilton vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamilton and Barcelona differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($4,831 vs $2,367 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hamilton pays 186% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,342 in Hamilton versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,338 in Hamilton versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 156% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

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, Hamilton 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 104% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.