Comparación del coste de vida entre Raleigh, NC y Barcelona Comparación del coste de vida entre Raleigh, NC y Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,903 in Raleigh, NC versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,206 in Raleigh, NC versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,508 in Raleigh, NC versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Raleigh, NC is roughly 24% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Raleigh, NC 117% above, Barcelona 75% above.

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.37 $19.37
$17.61 €15.04
9.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.2 $76.2
$68.7 €58.7
10.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 $10.19
$13.75 €11.74
-25.89%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$2.76 €2.36
98.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$2.78 €2.38
-16.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.05 €1.75
-4.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.64 $5.64
$4.61 €3.93
22.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88 $5.88
$4.59 €3.92
28.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.28 €1.09
-32.03%
White Bread (500g)
$4.23 $4.23
$2.11 €1.80
100.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$1.97 €1.68
65.99%
Eggs
$4.60 $4.60
$3.44 €2.94
33.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.83 $13.83
$18.83 €16.08
-26.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.36 $11.36
$9.45 €8.07
20.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.60 $16.60
$19.01 €16.24
-12.68%
Apples (1kg)
$7.03 $7.03
$2.72 €2.32
158.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$2.37 €2.03
-37.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.65 $5.65
$2.08 €1.77
171.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.09 $6.09
$2.76 €2.36
120.65%
Potato (1kg)
$3.64 $3.64
$1.97 €1.68
84.77%
Onion (1kg)
$4.09 $4.09
$1.79 €1.53
128.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.51 €1.29
42.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$0.90 €0.77
137.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.58 $7.58
$6.76 €5.77
12.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.36 $15.36
$7.55 €6.44
103.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.44 €1.23
40.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.41 €2.06
29.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.03 $2.03
$3.03 €2.59
-33.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.95 $44.95
$28.39 €24.25
58.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.44 $2.44
$4.43 €3.78
-44.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.69 $1.69
$2.05 €1.75
-17.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.86 $14.86
$29.33 €25.05
-49.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.89 €1.61
-54.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K $29.7K
$38.7K €33.1K
-23.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$32.4K €27.6K
-16.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 $188
$189 €161
-0.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.5 $65.5
$22.21 €18.96
195.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.3 $71.3
$36.82 €31.44
93.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.96 $39.96
$58.0 €49.52
-31.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.47 $34.47
$20.99 €17.93
64.22%
Cinema Ticket
$14.79 $14.79
$11.05 €9.44
33.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$726 €620
107.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.7K $23.7K
$15.2K €13.0K
55.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.0 $52.0
$88.3 €75.4
-41.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.17 $49.17
$36.98 €31.58
32.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 $100
$103 €87.6
-2.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$119 €102
17.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,842 $1,842
$1,526 €1,304
20.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,556 $1,556
$1,218 €1,040
27.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,952 $2,952
$2,794 €2,386
5.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,390 $2,390
$2,027 €1,731
17.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,812 $3,812
$7,094 €6,058
-46.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,239 $2,239
$4,849 €4,141
-53.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Raleigh, NC
Barcelona
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,474 $4,474
$2,404 €2,053
86.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.53
3.39
92.63%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Raleigh, NC: April 28, 2026

Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Raleigh, NC and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Raleigh, NC pays 86% 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: $76.0 in Raleigh, NC vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 vs $320 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Raleigh, NC vs Barcelona: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Raleigh, NC and Barcelona?
Raleigh, NC and Barcelona differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,903 vs $2,341 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Raleigh, NC or Barcelona?
Raleigh, NC pays 86% more on average, 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 Raleigh, NC and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,842 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,526 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 Raleigh, NC and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $1,509 in Raleigh, NC versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Raleigh, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,341 in Barcelona versus $2,903 in Raleigh, NC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Raleigh, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Raleigh, NC 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 Raleigh, NC or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Raleigh, NC 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: Raleigh, NC or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Raleigh, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Raleigh, NC vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado

Ciudades similares