Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Joplin, MO and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Joplin, MO: $2,055 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Joplin, MO, United States
Barcelona, Spain
Joplin, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,055
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,055 in Joplin, MO versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Joplin, MO $2,055
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,808 in Joplin, MO versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Joplin, MO $2,808
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,560 in Joplin, MO versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Joplin, MO $3,560
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Joplin, MO costs roughly 16% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Joplin, MO 51% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.81 $14.81
$17.59 €15.69
-15.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.3 $59.3
$67.5 €60.2
-12.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.30 $10.30
$13.53 €12.07
-23.87%
Cappuccino
$4.59 $4.59
$3.19 €2.85
43.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.91 €2.60
-32.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 $1.87
$1.89 €1.69
-1.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.88 $4.88
$4.01 €3.58
21.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89 $5.89
$4.53 €4.04
30.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.31 €1.16
-32.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.02 €1.80
34.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.09 $2.09
$1.85 €1.65
12.97%
Eggs
$3.17 $3.17
$4.83 €4.31
-34.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.77 $8.77
$16.74 €14.93
-47.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.90 $6.90
$9.12 €8.14
-24.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.61 $17.61
$19.64 €17.52
-10.34%
Apples (1kg)
$3.92 $3.92
$2.98 €2.66
31.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 $1.19
$2.02 €1.80
-41.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.70 €2.41
-6.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.80 €2.50
-23.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 $1.26
$2.09 €1.86
-39.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 $2.32
$2.07 €1.85
12.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.46 €1.30
23.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$0.94 €0.84
140.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.55 $9.55
$6.87 €6.13
39.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.02 $15.02
$7.89 €7.04
90.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.41 €1.25
21.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 $1.47
$2.54 €2.26
-42.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.97 $1.97
$3.14 €2.80
-37.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.45 €22.70
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.43 $2.43
$2.99 €2.67
-18.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.49 €1.33
6.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.22 $40.22
$33.37 €29.78
20.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.77 $0.77
$1.80 €1.60
-57.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$33.2K €29.6K
-15.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$31.7K €28.3K
-19.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$276 $276
$180 €161
52.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.40 $42.40
$13.84 €12.35
206.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.1 $70.1
$33.70 €30.06
108.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.86 $14.86
$51.5 €45.96
-71.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.96 €14.24
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.57 $13.57
$10.99 €9.81
23.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$901 $901
$917 €818
-1.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K $15.9K
$16.5K €14.7K
-3.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.99 $39.99
$87.0 €77.7
-54.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.28 $31.28
$38.51 €34.35
-18.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 $101
$106 €94.4
-4.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3 $71.3
$120 €107
-40.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 $1,266
$1,699 €1,516
-25.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$939 $939
$1,355 €1,209
-30.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 $1,695
$2,603 €2,322
-34.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,262 $1,262
$2,062 €1,840
-38.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,483 $1,483
$6,915 €6,169
-78.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,492 $1,492
$5,128 €4,575
-70.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Joplin, MO
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,311 $3,311
$2,211 €1,972
49.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
3.28
97.87%

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

Last update for Joplin, MO: October 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Joplin, MO
$939
Barcelona
$1.4K 44.3% $416
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Joplin, MO
$388
Barcelona
$228 41.3% $160
Groceries & Markets
Joplin, MO
$303
Barcelona
$322 6.4% $19
Eating Out
Joplin, MO
$256
Barcelona
$268 4.7% $12
Clothing & Footwear
Joplin, MO
$110
Barcelona
$158 44.3% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Joplin, MO
$42
Barcelona
$74 75% $31
Getting Around
Joplin, MO
$18 *
Barcelona
$48 166% $30

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 $1,266 in Joplin, MO and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Joplin, MO pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59 in Joplin, MO vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $322 per month, with Joplin, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Joplin, MO
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
08:29 8:29 AM
15:29 3:29 PM
7 h ahead of Joplin, MO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
51,762
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 November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Joplin, MO Barcelona 7,870 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Joplin, MO
  • 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
Joplin, MO vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Joplin, MO and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,055 in Joplin, MO and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Joplin, MO is about 16% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Joplin, MO or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 50% higher in Joplin, MO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Joplin, MO and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,266 in Joplin, MO versus $1,699 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 Joplin, MO and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $901 in Joplin, MO versus $917 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 Joplin, MO – a meal for two runs $59 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How does quality of life compare between Joplin, MO 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 Joplin, MO or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Joplin, MO and Barcelona are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Joplin, MO vs other spots: cost of living compared

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