Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Portsmouth and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Portsmouth: $927 a month against $2,381 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Portsmouth
🇩🇲 Dominica
$927
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $927 in Portsmouth versus $2,381 in Barcelona.

  • Portsmouth $927
  • Barcelona $2,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,638 in Portsmouth versus $3,406 in Barcelona.

  • Portsmouth $1,638
  • Barcelona $3,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,350 in Portsmouth versus $4,431 in Barcelona.

  • Portsmouth $2,350
  • Barcelona $4,431

Living in Portsmouth costs roughly 61% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Portsmouth is 32% below, Barcelona is 76% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.63 EC$15.20
$17.89 €15.92
-68.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.0 EC$148
$66.2 €58.9
-16.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.72 EC$18.15
$13.69 €12.18
-50.91%
Cappuccino
$2.61 EC$7.06
$3.06 €2.72
-14.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 EC$5.95
$3.07 €2.73
-28.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 EC$5.13
$1.94 €1.73
-2.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 EC$6.94
$3.87 €3.44
-33.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 EC$9.78
$4.61 €4.10
-21.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.85 EC$7.69
$1.30 €1.16
119.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 EC$6.14
$2.10 €1.87
8.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 EC$5.58
$1.83 €1.62
13.11%
Eggs
$6.80 EC$18.35
$4.62 €4.11
47.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.65 EC$7.16
$17.36 €15.44
-84.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.56 EC$15.02
$9.28 €8.25
-40.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$19.83 €17.64
-
Apples (1kg)
$7.45 EC$20.11
$3.01 €2.68
147.51%
Banana (1kg)
$2.55 EC$6.88
$2.03 €1.81
25.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.10 EC$11.06
$2.65 €2.36
54.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.10 EC$11.08
$2.87 €2.55
42.86%
Potato (1kg)
$2.89 EC$7.80
$2.16 €1.92
33.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.80 EC$7.55
$2.15 €1.91
30.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 EC$5.09
$1.47 €1.31
27.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 EC$4.91
$0.88 €0.79
106.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$6.93 €6.16
-
Wine (Bottle)
$11.00 EC$29.71
$7.83 €6.96
40.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 EC$5.14
$1.39 €1.24
36.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 EC$7.04
$2.63 €2.34
-0.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.78 EC$2.10
$2.91 €2.59
-73.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.46 €22.64
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.73 EC$10.07
$3.00 €2.66
24.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.79 EC$10.24
$1.44 €1.28
163.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$33.20 €29.53
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.86 €1.65
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$32.3K €28.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$31.7K €28.2K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$183 €163
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.53 EC$109
$13.61 €12.11
197.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.4 EC$174
$32.93 €29.29
95.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.08 EC$100
$54.7 €48.65
-32.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.52 €14.70
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.30 EC$30.51
$11.23 €9.99
0.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$954 €849
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.6K €14.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.0 EC$151
$86.0 €76.5
-34.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.74 EC$64.1
$39.11 €34.78
-39.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$56.3 EC$152
$104 €92.2
-45.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.4 EC$182
$119 €106
-43.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$258 EC$697
$1,695 €1,508
-84.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$219 EC$592
$1,276 €1,135
-82.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$662 EC$1,788
$2,576 €2,291
-74.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$618 EC$1,669
$1,922 €1,710
-67.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,281 €6,477
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,010 €4,456
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Portsmouth
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$637 EC$1,719
$2,227 €1,981
-71.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.28
-

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

Last update for Portsmouth: October 17, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$325
Eating Out
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$270
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$229
Clothing & Footwear
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$156
Sport & Entertainment
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$77
Getting Around
Portsmouth
–
Barcelona
$47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Portsmouth and $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 250% 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: $55.0 in Portsmouth vs $66.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $325 per month, with Portsmouth cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇩🇲 Portsmouth
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
06:53 6:53 AM
12:53 12:53 PM
6 h ahead of Portsmouth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,633
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to XCD – East Caribbean Dollar Converter

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.04 XCD (1 XCD = 0.329 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Portsmouth Barcelona 6,680 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Portsmouth
  • 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
Portsmouth vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Portsmouth and in Barcelona?
Portsmouth and Barcelona differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($927 vs $2,381 including rent). Portsmouth is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 250% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Portsmouth and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $258 in Portsmouth versus $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Portsmouth – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $66.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Portsmouth or Barcelona?
All in, you'll spend $927 per month in Portsmouth versus $2,381 in Barcelona – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $927 in Portsmouth versus $2,381 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Portsmouth but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Portsmouth the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Portsmouth 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.
Where should expats move: Portsmouth or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Portsmouth gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Portsmouth vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?