🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,112 in Telford versus $2,495 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,005 in Telford versus $3,550 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,897 in Telford versus $4,605 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Telford costs roughly 15% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Telford54% above, Barcelona82% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.20£14.95
$18.39€15.83
9.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.0£54.8
$69.2€59.6
7.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.03£7.42
$14.13€12.16
-29.02%
Cappuccino
$4.49£3.32
$3.13€2.70
43.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83£2.10
$3.02€2.60
-6.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11£0.82
$1.96€1.69
-43.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.02£4.46
$4.00€3.44
50.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.60£4.88
$4.76€4.10
38.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62£1.20
$1.25€1.07
29.60%
White Bread(500g)
$0.97£0.72
$2.16€1.86
-55.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32£0.98
$1.69€1.45
-21.89%
Eggs
$3.43£2.54
$4.93€4.25
-30.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.49£5.54
$17.88€15.39
-58.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.27£6.86
$9.61€8.27
-3.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.01£8.89
$19.34€16.65
-37.90%
Apples(1kg)
$2.42£1.79
$3.24€2.79
-25.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.77£1.31
$2.18€1.87
-18.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.52£1.86
$2.67€2.30
-5.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.78£2.06
$2.77€2.39
0.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.82£1.35
$2.21€1.91
-17.65%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00£1.48
$2.19€1.88
-8.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.96£0.71
$1.52€1.31
-36.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40£1.03
$0.92€0.79
52.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$20.41£15.10
$7.12€6.13
186.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.00£7.40
$8.14€7.00
22.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$5.76£4.26
$1.50€1.29
284.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.38£3.98
$2.78€2.39
93.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.11£3.04
$3.15€2.71
30.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$151£112
$26.99€23.24
460.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.12£5.26
$3.25€2.80
119.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.11£3.04
$1.50€1.29
174.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$34.89€30.04
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.00£1.48
$1.75€1.50
14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.6K£30.0K
$36.7K€31.6K
10.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.8K£33.1K
$30.9K€26.6K
44.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$287£212
$188€162
52.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.76£16.10
$15.44€13.29
40.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.18£27.50
$37.80€32.54
-1.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.54£35.17
$57.2€49.22
-16.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80€14.46
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.47£12.93
$11.58€9.97
50.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,608£1,190
$1,003€863
60.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$24.6K£18.2K
$17.0K€14.6K
44.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5£39.60
$89.2€76.8
-40.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.31£18.73
$40.87€35.18
-38.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103£76.5
$110€94.7
-5.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137£101
$123€106
11.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$862£638
$1,673€1,440
-48.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$746£552
$1,331€1,146
-44.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,295£958
$2,596€2,234
-50.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,049£776
$1,950€1,679
-46.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,081£3,019
$7,573€6,519
-46.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$8,771£6,489
$5,370€4,623
63.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Telford
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,378£2,499
$2,402€2,068
40.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.3
3.16
67.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Telford: August 30, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $862 in Telford and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Telford pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $74.0 in Telford vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $332, with Telford cheaper for home cooking.
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
Telford vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Telford and in Barcelona?
Telford and Barcelona differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,112 vs $2,495 including rent). Telford is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Telford or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 41% higher in Telford, 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 Telford and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $862 in Telford versus $1,673 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 Telford and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $1,608 in Telford versus $1,003 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 16% higher in Barcelona. 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 $2,112 in Telford versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Telford but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Telford the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Telford 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 Telford or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Telford 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: Telford or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Telford gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.