Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $846 in Montana versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,336 in Montana versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Montana versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Montana costs roughly 64% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montana is 37% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 BGN 17.68

$17.61 €15.04

-39.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 BGN 59.2

$68.7 €58.7

-48.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 BGN 13.12

$13.75 €11.74

-42.84%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BGN 2.46

$2.76 €2.36

-46.38%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.30

$2.78 €2.38

-50.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.49

$2.05 €1.75

-56.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 BGN 2.34

$4.61 €3.93

-69.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$4.59 €3.92

-77.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.28 €1.09

29.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$2.11 €1.80

-52.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 BGN 2.96

$1.97 €1.68

-10.15%

Eggs

$2.75 BGN 4.59

$3.44 €2.94

-20.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 BGN 15.97

$18.83 €16.08

-49.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 BGN 5.42

$9.45 €8.07

-65.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 BGN 22.07

$19.01 €16.24

-30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 BGN 2.03

$2.72 €2.32

-55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 BGN 4.31

$2.37 €2.03

8.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 BGN 3.37

$2.08 €1.77

-2.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 BGN 3.49

$2.76 €2.36

-24.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 BGN 1.37

$1.97 €1.68

-58.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$1.79 €1.53

-55.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 BGN 2.36

$1.51 €1.29

-6.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 BGN 0.91

$0.90 €0.77

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 BGN 5.99

$6.76 €5.77

-46.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 BGN 11.66

$7.55 €6.44

-7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BGN 1.61

$1.44 €1.23

-32.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.84

$2.41 €2.06

-29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$3.03 €2.59

-70.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.75 BGN 58.0

$28.39 €24.25

22.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 BGN 1.05

$4.43 €3.78

-85.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 BGN 0.68

$2.05 €1.75

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.64 BGN 17.77

$29.33 €25.05

-63.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 BGN 2.60

$1.89 €1.61

-17.46%

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

$19.8K BGN 33.1K

$38.7K €33.1K

-48.81%

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

$25.1K BGN 42.0K

$32.4K €27.6K

-22.33%

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

$102 BGN 170

$189 €161

-46.15%

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

$17.59 BGN 29.38

$22.21 €18.96

-20.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.78 BGN 14.67

$36.82 €31.44

-76.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.45 BGN 34.16

$58.0 €49.52

-64.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.88 BGN 14.83

$20.99 €17.93

-57.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 BGN 9.09

$11.05 €9.44

-50.77%

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

$319 BGN 533

$726 €620

-56.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,508 BGN 9,198

$15.2K €13.0K

-63.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 BGN 89.1

$88.3 €75.4

-39.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.48 BGN 49.22

$36.98 €31.58

-20.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 BGN 121

$103 €87.6

-29.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 179

$119 €102

-10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 BGN 377

$1,526 €1,304

-85.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 BGN 276

$1,218 €1,040

-86.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 BGN 696

$2,794 €2,386

-85.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BGN 523

$2,027 €1,731

-84.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,381 BGN 2,306

$7,094 €6,058

-80.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 BGN 1,817

$4,849 €4,141

-77.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,026 BGN 1,713

$2,404 €2,053

-57.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.39

-5.60%

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

Last update for Montana: April 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Montana and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 134% 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: $35.00 in Montana vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $320 per month, with Montana 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

Montana vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montana and Barcelona differ by about 177% in total monthly costs ($846 vs $2,341 including rent). Montana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 134% less. 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: $226 in Montana versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $319 in Montana versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $846 in Montana versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montana but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Montana 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, Montana 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 Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.