Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Reims and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Reims: $1,814 a month against $2,399 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Reims
🇫🇷 France
$1,814
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,399
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,814 in Reims versus $2,399 in Barcelona.

  • Reims $1,814
  • Barcelona $2,399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,696 in Reims versus $3,410 in Barcelona.

  • Reims $2,696
  • Barcelona $3,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,577 in Reims versus $4,421 in Barcelona.

  • Reims $3,577
  • Barcelona $4,421

Living in Reims costs roughly 24% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Reims 34% above, Barcelona 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.30 €17.17
$17.94 €15.96
7.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0 €60.5
$68.1 €60.5
-0.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.31 €11.84
$13.28 €11.81
0.23%
Cappuccino
$3.39 €3.01
$3.25 €2.89
4.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 €3.16
$3.01 €2.67
17.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 €2.59
$1.87 €1.66
55.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.21 €6.41
$3.85 €3.42
87.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.54 €5.82
$4.48 €3.98
45.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 €1.20
$1.29 €1.15
3.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.11 €0.99
$2.04 €1.81
-45.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 €1.90
$1.72 €1.53
23.84%
Eggs
$3.69 €3.28
$4.77 €4.24
-22.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$32.47 €28.88
$16.77 €14.92
93.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.86 €7.88
$8.93 €7.94
-0.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.45 €12.85
$19.88 €17.68
-27.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 €2.52
$2.98 €2.65
-5.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 €2.03
$2.03 €1.80
12.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.47 €2.19
$2.73 €2.43
-9.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.58 €4.07
$2.68 €2.38
70.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.10 €1.87
-11.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 €1.26
$2.08 €1.85
-31.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.45 €1.29
-17.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.03
$0.89 €0.79
29.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.24 €11.78
$6.94 €6.17
90.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.96 €7.97
$7.78 €6.92
15.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 €1.95
$1.45 €1.29
51.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.57 €2.29
-14.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.25 €2.00
$2.99 €2.66
-24.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.14 €39.26
$25.20 €22.41
75.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.82 €7.84
$3.12 €2.77
182.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 €1.08
$1.44 €1.28
-15.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.50 €29.79
$33.50 €29.80
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.79 €1.59
18.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K €30.7K
$34.6K €30.8K
-0.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K €32.2K
$30.1K €26.7K
20.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$211 €187
$178 €158
18.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.33 €25.20
$13.32 €11.85
112.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.82 €35.42
$34.88 €31.03
14.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.74 €31.79
$53.3 €47.37
-32.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.99 €9.77
$16.01 €14.24
-31.36%
Cinema Ticket
$11.82 €10.52
$11.06 €9.84
6.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$664 €591
$957 €851
-30.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,797 €8,715
$16.6K €14.7K
-40.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.9 €76.5
$88.2 €78.4
-2.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.60 €35.23
$39.49 €35.12
0.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.4 €79.5
$103 €91.5
-13.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 €93.7
$121 €108
-13.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$672 €598
$1,653 €1,470
-59.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$600 €534
$1,302 €1,158
-53.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,217 €1,082
$2,557 €2,275
-52.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$896 €797
$1,915 €1,703
-53.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,267 €4,685
$7,286 €6,481
-27.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,642 €3,239
$5,080 €4,519
-28.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Reims
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,603 €1,426
$2,281 €2,029
-29.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.67
3.28
11.89%

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

Last update for Reims: October 11, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Reims
$600
Barcelona
$1.3K 117% $702
Groceries & Markets
Reims
$354
Barcelona
$320 9.5% $34
Eating Out
Reims
$310
Barcelona
$270 12.9% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Reims
$279
Barcelona
$226 18.9% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Reims
$144
Barcelona
$158 9.9% $14
Getting Around
Reims
$68
Barcelona
$47 30.2% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Reims
$59
Barcelona
$75 26.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $672 in Reims and $1,653 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 42% 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: $68.0 in Reims vs $68.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $320, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Reims
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
09:39 9:39 AM
09:39 9:39 AM
Same time as Reims
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
179,380
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Reims Barcelona 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Reims
  • 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
Reims vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Reims and in Barcelona?
Reims and Barcelona differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,814 vs $2,399 including rent). Reims 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 42% 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 Reims and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $672 in Reims versus $1,653 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 Reims and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $664 in Reims versus $957 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?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,814 in Reims versus $2,399 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Reims but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Reims the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Reims 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 Reims or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Reims 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: Reims or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Reims gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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