Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roma, TX and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $2,590 in Roma, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Roma, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,590
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,590 in Roma, TX versus $2,381 in Barcelona.

  • Roma, TX $2,590
  • Barcelona $2,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,815 in Roma, TX versus $3,406 in Barcelona.

  • Roma, TX $3,815
  • Barcelona $3,406

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,040 in Roma, TX versus $4,431 in Barcelona.

  • Roma, TX $5,040
  • Barcelona $4,431

Living in Roma, TX is roughly 9% more expensive than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Roma, TX 91% above, Barcelona 76% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.08 $20.08
$17.89 €15.92
12.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 $76.0
$66.2 €58.9
14.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.71 $11.71
$13.69 €12.18
-14.46%
Cappuccino
$5.35 $5.35
$3.06 €2.72
74.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 $2.68
$3.07 €2.73
-12.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.94 €1.73
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.03 $6.03
$3.87 €3.44
55.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.16 $7.16
$4.61 €4.10
55.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.30 €1.16
-23.08%
White Bread (500g)
$3.47 $3.47
$2.10 €1.87
65.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.43 $4.43
$1.83 €1.62
142.08%
Eggs
$4.24 $4.24
$4.62 €4.11
-8.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.47 $12.47
$17.36 €15.44
-28.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.37 $11.37
$9.28 €8.25
22.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.81 $16.81
$19.83 €17.64
-15.23%
Apples (1kg)
$5.05 $5.05
$3.01 €2.68
67.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 $1.59
$2.03 €1.81
-21.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.41 $4.41
$2.65 €2.36
66.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.75 $4.75
$2.87 €2.55
65.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.75 $2.75
$2.16 €1.92
27.31%
Onion (1kg)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.15 €1.91
36.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.47 €1.31
50.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.32 $2.32
$0.88 €0.79
163.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.77 $9.77
$6.93 €6.16
40.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.82 $14.82
$7.83 €6.96
89.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.39 €1.24
43.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 $3.31
$2.63 €2.34
25.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.91 €2.59
-31.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.19 $26.19
$25.46 €22.64
2.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 $3.17
$3.00 €2.66
5.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.44 €1.28
18.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.20 $32.20
$33.20 €29.53
-3.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.97 $0.97
$1.86 €1.65
-47.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$32.3K €28.8K
-15.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$31.7K €28.2K
-18.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 $195
$183 €163
6.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.3 $58.3
$13.61 €12.11
327.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.8 $70.8
$32.93 €29.29
115.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.25 $42.25
$54.7 €48.65
-22.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.19 $20.19
$16.52 €14.70
22.22%
Cinema Ticket
$14.32 $14.32
$11.23 €9.99
27.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,459 $1,459
$954 €849
52.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.9K $21.9K
$16.6K €14.8K
32.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.2 $53.2
$86.0 €76.5
-38.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.88 $40.88
$39.11 €34.78
4.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 $89.8
$104 €92.2
-13.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$119 €106
-3.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,625 $1,625
$1,695 €1,508
-4.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,294 $1,294
$1,276 €1,135
1.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,473 $2,473
$2,576 €2,291
-4.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,158 $2,158
$1,922 €1,710
12.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,728 $2,728
$7,281 €6,477
-62.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,377 $2,377
$5,010 €4,456
-52.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roma, TX
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,310 $1,310
$2,227 €1,981
-41.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
3.28
100.30%

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

Last update for Roma, TX: October 18, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Roma, TX
$1.3K
Barcelona
$1.3K 1.4% $18
Groceries & Markets
Roma, TX
$397
Barcelona
$325 18.2% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roma, TX
$325
Barcelona
$229 29.3% $95
Eating Out
Roma, TX
$323
Barcelona
$270 16.6% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Roma, TX
$135
Barcelona
$156 16.2% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Roma, TX
$71
Barcelona
$77 8.8% $6.3
Getting Around
Roma, TX
$46
Barcelona
$47 3.2% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Roma, TX and $1,695 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Roma, TX vs $66.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $325 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Roma, TX
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
06:43 6:43 AM
13:43 1:43 PM
7 h ahead of Roma, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,561
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 October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Roma, TX Barcelona 8,960 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Roma, TX
  • 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
Roma, TX vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Roma, TX and in Barcelona?
Roma, TX and Barcelona differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,590 vs $2,381 including rent). Barcelona 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 70% 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 Roma, TX and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,625 in Roma, TX versus $1,695 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 Roma, TX and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $1,459 in Roma, TX versus $954 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 22% higher in Roma, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Roma, TX 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 Roma, TX or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Roma, TX 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: Roma, TX or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Roma, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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