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: $4,857 in Hamilton versus $2,482 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $9,118 in Hamilton versus $3,548 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $13.4K in Hamilton versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 96% more expensive than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hamilton 252% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$50.1 BMD 50.1

$18.42 €15.84

171.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$151 BMD 151

$69.4 €59.7

117.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.91 BMD 16.91

$14.05 €12.08

20.36%

Cappuccino

$6.22 BMD 6.22

$3.11 €2.67

100.00%

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

$3.11 BMD 3.11

$2.96 €2.54

5.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 BMD 3.08

$1.95 €1.68

57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.47 BMD 7.47

$3.99 €3.43

87.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.09 BMD 9.09

$4.62 €3.97

96.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.54 BMD 4.54

$1.32 €1.14

243.94%

White Bread (500g)

$8.49 BMD 8.49

$2.11 €1.81

302.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 BMD 5.45

$1.83 €1.57

197.81%

Eggs

$7.60 BMD 7.60

$5.16 €4.44

47.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.75 BMD 18.75

$17.56 €15.10

6.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.05 BMD 23.05

$9.50 €8.17

142.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 BMD 27.43

$19.93 €17.14

37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$12.87 BMD 12.87

$3.17 €2.72

305.99%

Banana (1kg)

$6.57 BMD 6.57

$2.21 €1.90

197.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.06 BMD 7.06

$2.61 €2.24

170.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 BMD 3.96

$2.85 €2.45

38.95%

Potato (1kg)

$6.94 BMD 6.94

$2.17 €1.87

219.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 BMD 3.09

$2.11 €1.81

46.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.46 BMD 6.46

$1.62 €1.39

298.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 BMD 3.58

$0.88 €0.76

306.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.93 BMD 17.93

$7.17 €6.16

150.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.64 BMD 24.64

$8.33 €7.16

195.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.05 BMD 5.05

$1.50 €1.29

236.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 BMD 4.42

$2.75 €2.37

60.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.96 BMD 4.96

$3.14 €2.70

57.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.2 BMD 70.2

$26.25 €22.57

167.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 BMD 6.47

$3.22 €2.77

100.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 BMD 2.96

$1.51 €1.30

96.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.4 BMD 71.4

$35.26 €30.31

102.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.42 BMD 2.42

$1.75 €1.51

38.29%

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

$37.2K BMD 37.2K

$36.7K €31.5K

1.37%

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

$42.4K BMD 42.4K

$31.7K €27.2K

33.91%

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

$252 BMD 252

$187 €161

34.89%

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

$150 BMD 150

$15.10 €12.98

890.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$164 BMD 164

$37.60 €32.33

335.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$185 BMD 185

$55.5 €47.71

234.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 BMD 14.90

$16.74 €14.39

-10.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 BMD 13.59

$11.71 €10.07

16.05%

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

$1,299 BMD 1,299

$1,011 €869

28.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K BMD 25.0K

$17.1K €14.7K

46.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 BMD 90.6

$91.4 €78.6

-0.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.7 BMD 69.7

$41.00 €35.25

70.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 BMD 143

$111 €95.1

29.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 BMD 130

$126 €108

3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,714 BMD 3,714

$1,704 €1,465

117.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,451 BMD 2,451

$1,299 €1,117

88.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,589 BMD 8,589

$2,588 €2,225

231.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$7,834 BMD 7,834

$1,929 €1,659

306.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.0K BMD 15.0K

$7,732 €6,648

94.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,099 BMD 9,099

$5,384 €4,629

68.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,749 BMD 6,749

$2,374 €2,041

184.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.63

3.16

173.10%

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

Last update for Hamilton: September 7, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,714 in Hamilton and $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 184% 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: $151 in Hamilton vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $767 vs $333 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 96% in total monthly costs ($4,857 vs $2,482 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 184% higher in Hamilton, 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: $3,714 in Hamilton versus $1,704 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Hamilton versus $1,011 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 130% 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 96% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.