Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,592 in Bålsta versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,508 in Bålsta versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,424 in Bålsta versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 32% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 18% above, Barcelona 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.97 SEK 122

$17.08 €14.72

-24.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 652

$69.2 €59.7

0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 SEK 89.3

$13.78 €11.87

-30.91%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SEK 39.97

$2.76 €2.37

54.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SEK 26.66

$2.79 €2.40

1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.63

$1.99 €1.72

21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.49 SEK 70.3

$4.36 €3.76

71.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 SEK 68.2

$4.74 €4.09

53.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SEK 14.45

$1.29 €1.11

19.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 SEK 19.29

$2.05 €1.77

0.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 SEK 34.32

$1.99 €1.71

83.92%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 34.62

$3.39 €2.92

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 SEK 110

$18.81 €16.21

-37.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.01 SEK 113

$9.36 €8.07

28.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 SEK 107

$19.12 €16.48

-40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.28

$2.70 €2.32

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$2.34 €2.02

14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.62

$2.12 €1.83

8.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 SEK 27.94

$2.85 €2.46

4.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.50

$1.97 €1.70

-21.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.17

$1.80 €1.55

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 SEK 15.15

$1.45 €1.25

11.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.07

$0.86 €0.74

24.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$6.78 €5.84

11.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 SEK 96.9

$7.90 €6.81

30.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.14

$1.39 €1.20

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.75

$2.37 €2.04

-20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 SEK 31.03

$2.92 €2.52

13.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 684

$28.69 €24.72

154.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 SEK 57.3

$4.46 €3.84

36.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.24

$2.05 €1.77

-41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 778

$29.55 €25.46

180.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 17.89

$1.82 €1.56

4.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.4K SEK 303.9K

$38.8K €33.5K

-16.56%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.2K SEK 321.2K

$33.1K €28.5K

3.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$51.8 SEK 486

$189 €163

-72.63%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.14 SEK 198

$22.80 €19.65

-7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.91 SEK 337

$37.59 €32.39

-4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 SEK 375

$57.7 €49.75

-30.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.28 SEK 237

$20.74 €17.87

21.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SEK 126

$10.82 €9.33

24.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$129 SEK 1,206

$728 €628

-82.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$736 SEK 6,904

$14.8K €12.7K

-95.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.6 SEK 700

$88.6 €76.4

-15.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.50 SEK 98.5

$36.85 €31.75

-71.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 SEK 788

$102 €87.9

-17.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 SEK 1,099

$116 €100

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 SEK 7,825

$1,569 €1,352

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,146

$1,218 €1,050

-46.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 12.9K

$2,795 €2,409

-50.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.2K

$1,975 €1,702

-45.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,805 SEK 45.1K

$7,754 €6,680

-38.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 SEK 25.4K

$5,176 €4,460

-47.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,170 SEK 39.1K

$2,343 €2,019

77.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

-11.50%

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

Last update for Bålsta: June 8, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $834 in Bålsta and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Bålsta vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $307 vs $319, with Bålsta 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

Bålsta vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bålsta pays 78% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $834 in Bålsta versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,592 per month in Bålsta versus $2,337 in Barcelona – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 154% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,592 in Bålsta versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,592 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta 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.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.