๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,157 in Waipahu, HI versus $2,336 in Barcelona.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,780 in Waipahu, HI versus $3,475 in Barcelona.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,403 in Waipahu, HI versus $4,614 in Barcelona.
๐Living in Waipahu, HI is roughly 35% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waipahu, HI136% above, Barcelona74% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.23$23.23
$17.45โฌ14.88
33.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.1$99.1
$69.8โฌ59.6
41.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.99$14.99
$13.91โฌ11.86
7.76%
Cappuccino
$7.02$7.02
$2.74โฌ2.34
156.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78$3.78
$2.70โฌ2.30
40.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86$2.86
$2.03โฌ1.73
40.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.13$8.13
$4.51โฌ3.85
80.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.75$8.75
$4.61โฌ3.93
89.80%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.34$1.34
$1.28โฌ1.09
4.69%
White Bread(500g)
$6.51$6.51
$2.10โฌ1.79
210.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$10.42$10.42
$1.99โฌ1.70
423.62%
Eggs
$7.66$7.66
$3.45โฌ2.95
122.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.39$12.39
$18.61โฌ15.87
-33.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$18.89$18.89
$9.41โฌ8.03
100.74%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.78$19.78
$18.70โฌ15.95
5.78%
Apples(1kg)
$6.87$6.87
$2.61โฌ2.22
163.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.54$1.54
$2.39โฌ2.04
-35.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.29$6.29
$2.19โฌ1.86
187.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$8.15$8.15
$2.81โฌ2.40
190.04%
Potato(1kg)
$5.19$5.19
$2.03โฌ1.73
155.67%
Onion(1kg)
$4.49$4.49
$1.87โฌ1.60
140.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.85$4.85
$1.45โฌ1.24
234.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.18$3.18
$0.92โฌ0.79
245.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.06$10.06
$6.82โฌ5.82
47.51%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.03$15.03
$7.71โฌ6.58
94.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41$2.41
$1.38โฌ1.18
74.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64$5.64
$2.33โฌ1.99
142.06%
๐ Getting Around
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.01$2.01
$2.88โฌ2.46
-30.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$81.1$81.1
$29.04โฌ24.77
179.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.40$3.40
$4.43โฌ3.78
-23.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.55$2.55
$2.14โฌ1.82
19.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$44.17$44.17
$28.96โฌ24.71
52.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26$1.26
$1.90โฌ1.62
-33.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K$30.5K
$37.9Kโฌ32.3K
-19.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K$24.8K
$33.3Kโฌ28.4K
-25.48%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$235$235
$186โฌ158
26.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$66.1$66.1
$22.17โฌ18.91
197.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.3$67.3
$36.52โฌ31.15
84.28%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.20$43.20
$58.4โฌ49.81
-26.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.75โฌ17.70
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.08$16.08
$11.10โฌ9.47
44.86%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,471$1,471
$705โฌ601
108.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.4K$20.4K
$15.2Kโฌ13.0K
34.07%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.43$45.43
$86.4โฌ73.7
-47.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48$40.48
$36.88โฌ31.46
9.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.9$94.9
$104โฌ88.8
-8.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124$124
$115โฌ98.4
7.86%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,587$1,587
$1,538โฌ1,312
3.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,466$1,466
$1,242โฌ1,060
18.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,825$2,825
$2,728โฌ2,327
3.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,637$2,637
$2,011โฌ1,716
31.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,497$2,497
$7,155โฌ6,104
-65.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,455$2,455
$4,843โฌ4,131
-49.31%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Waipahu, HI
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$2,474โฌ2,111
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.59
3.39
94.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Waipahu, HI: April 20, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Waipahu, HI and $1,538 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $99 in Waipahu, HI vs $70 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $587 vs $318 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.
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
Waipahu, HI vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Waipahu, HI and Barcelona?
Waipahu, HI and Barcelona differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($3,157 vs $2,336 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Waipahu, HI compared to Barcelona?
You'd need roughly $4,735 in Waipahu, HI and $3,504 in Barcelona to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Waipahu, HI and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Waipahu, HI versus $1,538 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 Waipahu, HI and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $1,471 in Waipahu, HI versus $705 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 84% higher in Waipahu, HI. 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 $2,336 in Barcelona versus $3,157 in Waipahu, HI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Waipahu, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Waipahu, HI and Barcelona?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Waipahu, HI or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Waipahu, HI 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: Waipahu, HI or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 35% less than in Waipahu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Waipahu, HI vs other spots: cost of living compared