Spain
A Mediterranean jewel defined by Gaudí's surreal architecture, buzzing beach culture, and late-night tapas. Catalonia's creative, fiercely proud capital.
#32 of 250
87% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 2 703
Based on NYC = 100 index
Barcelona is the 32. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 2 703 for one adult.
Most of that goes on housing, which runs 79% above the median city and adds $ 821 a month: 1br apartment (city center) $ 1 910, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 1 816. It is also pricier than usual for restaurants.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is utilities, 37% below the median: basic utilities (85m2 apt) $ 82.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
53 prices on this page come from live scrapers (16 sources, observed October 13, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Barcelona, Spain. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/barcelona. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,909.83 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,815.96 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 4,330.36 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 5,028.80 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | pisos.com |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 7.72 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Pork (1kg) | 7.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Beef (1kg) | 20.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 11.95 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 8.31 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.16 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Cheese (1kg) | 10.84 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Butter (200g) | 1.86 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Eggs (12) | 3.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Bread (500g) | 1.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.39 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Pasta (500g) | 0.89 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Rice (1kg) | 1.79 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Oats (500g) | 0.92 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 2.40 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 3.46 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Garlic (1kg) | 8.27 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Apples (1kg) | 2.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Banana (1kg) | 3.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.18 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Lentils (1kg) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 0.56 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Coffee (250g) | 2.58 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.94 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Mercadona |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 25.48 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 3.24 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Taxi Start | 3.13 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 1.51 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 2.09 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Fuel Prices |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 81.87 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Eurostat Energy Prices |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 32.86 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | European Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 9.50 / ticket | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Cinema Ticket Prices |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 27.66 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices |
| Doctor Visit (15 min) | 78.23 / visit | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Private Clinics & Telehealth |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 0.75 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | European Online Pharmacies, Official Drug Price Lists |
| Antibiotics (12 doses) | 2.07 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Drug Price Lists |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 49.86 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | H&M, Uniqlo |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 46.87 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | H&M, Uniqlo |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 117.34 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 51.39 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
Cities where the money splits the same way
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Similar share of Housing & Restaurants
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United States
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 1 863
per month
$ 137
per month
$ 334
per month
$ 110
per month
$ 82
per month
$ 107
per month
$ 40
per month
$ 30
per month