Cost of Living US (LA) vs. Spain

I'm very possibly talking out of my hat here, but I suspect that Barcelona would be one of the most expensive places in Spain, so that 30% might not be that far off.

What I'd do is get a picture of what rent is like in both places, and compare an online shopping in both places, and use these as proxy metrics. It's not going to be perfect; there are many different things that you'll likely spend money on besides groceries and rent, but it's usually possible to make an educated guess based on these two metrics.

Taxes are significantly higher than the US. i dont know about CA state and LA sales tax but it’s hard to imagine anywhere with higher taxes than Spain. Luxury goods and cars are much more expensive in Spain. Healthcare care and third level education are government run so cheaper.

@rbr33

Thanks so much for your considered response - I've done this a bit already so glad I'm on the right track.

@Conor55

Thank you - appreciate your insight.

Taxes - one of the worst taxes in Spain - Transfer tax when buying a flat - If the flat is used one must pay 10% of the sales price to the state. If the flat is new the tax is 21.5%. Also one is expected to pay at least 1/2 of the commision (3%) but there are some that require that the buyer pay the whole commision.

@lmurphy213

California is shockingly expensive. True, Barcelona is one of the most expensive places in Spain, but I'd be surprised if the differential were only 30%.

Whether you buy or rent a property, I'd expect this to be substantially cheaper than the LA equivalent.

Usually, the public health coverage that most expats get is FAR cheaper than paying for private health insurance in the USA. Without the high deductibles and sneaky exclusions that USA insurers are (in)famous for.

LA traffic is also (in)famous. Barcelona has far less traffic, great public transport, and remains a very walkable city.

Idealista (dot com) is a great website to see how far your budget will stretch for an apartment in Barcelona. This might be a good starting point, as if you can't see anything you like, it's probably not worth going any further! :-)

As to specific comparison, I think you'll find this very interesting...

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c … rrency=USD

Moreover, Barcelona is a great city, I agree... but it's not the only option. There are lots of lovely cities and larger towns in Spain which you could consider. And the Costas give you thousands of km of beautiful coastline, so you might find it appealing to hang out on the beach, rather than go for more of that Big City stress.

@lmurphy213

HI Lauren,

My name is Emma, I am Irish but living in Marbella which is the LA of Spain! It's expensive by comparison to other areas of spain. I have also spent alot of time in the US, mostly New York, San Fran and Austin.

You will find Barcelona a lot less expensive at least 30-40% less.

For example a

coffee is max 2.20 euro

Dinner for two and a bottle of wine is circa 50-60 euro in total for two people. Max 100 if a fancy restaurant

Clothing is alot less expensive, You will notice Zara is alot less expensive.

Shoes boots all made in Spain and honestly 50% less than in the US.

Rental accomodation will be alot less, probably half of what you would pay in LA.

You can also fly and travel internally for very little. My friend flew from Malaga to Ibizia for 26 euro!

So your money will definitely go alot futher.

Happy to answer any more questions

Hope this helps, best of luck

Emma

A few years ago I spent a few days in Inglewood and didn't find things more expensive than in Spain where I live for the past 60 years. Housing is prohibitive in the large cities. On the other hand there are some 5 mio. unused flats/houses and over 3K abandoned villages. Large cities have an excellent and cheap public transit system covering a sourrounding area of 50+ mls. I came to Spain in 1963 on an assignment for the USAF at a 1992 deactivated air base near Madrid.

I worked on an Air Traffic Control System at Torrejon in 1981.

You have to take into the account the strength of the euro relative to the dollar. If you are earning dollars  and convertIng to euros, Barcelona will indeed be more expensive than most US cities.

My Spanish relatives buy clothing,  electronics, handbags etc here in the States when they visit. A trip to El Corte Ingles in Barcelona will hurt your pocket way more than Macys in LA, New York or Chicago.

Spain is a beautiful country and a great place to live but I would not move there from the US to save money.

@ronjonesnc

Thanks for the heads up. Right now I'm only considering renting. But great info to know ahead of time!

@gwynj

Thank you kindly for your insight and perspective. I've been thinking along these exact lines. Barcelona is definitely where I'm moving to - so have been looking to hear from other expats what the difference in costs have been for them. I do understand that other cities/ towns are cheaper. Yet, in my experience, Barcelona has a significantly lower cost of living than in LA.

All your information is helpful and spot on. I appreciate it!

This website is not perfect but a good indicator https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c … =Barcelona

Suggests around 45% cheaper overall.

@Ironchicken Excellent! i will definitely check out.

There are several things that may be more accessible. Barcelona is perhaps the most expensive city in Spain and I confirm  taxes are higher, but saying that you spend more in Spain than in the US doesn't seem right to me. It depends a lot on how you live. Good restaurants in Spain are cheaper (I'm not talking about McDonald's), healthcare is cheaper, if you need a lawyer they won't "rob" like in the US. Clothing and cars are expensive in Spain, but this is Europe. We also have Zara and accessible brands with prices very similar to those you find in the US. As I was saying, the final balance depends on your situation.

Spain is beautiful.

@robsia

Thanks for your reply. I live in a very expensive neighborhood in LA, so I definitely believe Barcelona will be cheaper. I actually know it will be cheaper based on my visits to Barcelona over last year. Appreciate your response.