Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $2,215 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $3,317 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $4,418 in Alesund, rent included.

Barcelona costs about 5% more than Alesund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Alesund sit above the global median – Barcelona by 74%, Alesund by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.43

$20.27 NOK 195

-12.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.9

$87.7 NOK 845

-20.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.37

$12.72 NOK 122

11.32%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$3.94 NOK 37.90

-28.93%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$2.00 NOK 19.28

40.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.27 NOK 21.82

-9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.02

$11.20 NOK 108

-58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.10

$8.93 NOK 86.0

-47.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.07

$2.43 NOK 23.40

-49.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.91 NOK 28.07

-30.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.82 NOK 27.12

-29.79%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$3.94 NOK 37.98

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.01

$14.23 NOK 137

28.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.59

$13.33 NOK 128

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.71

$22.52 NOK 217

-15.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.38

$2.86 NOK 27.57

-4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.40 NOK 23.08

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.23 NOK 21.45

-6.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.48 NOK 33.56

-20.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.71 NOK 26.13

-27.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.79 NOK 17.24

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.87 NOK 27.60

-48.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$2.04 NOK 19.67

-55.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.23

$14.04 NOK 135

-49.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.88

$17.23 NOK 166

-54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$3.30 NOK 31.74

-58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$4.03 NOK 38.86

-40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.63

$4.49 NOK 43.20

-32.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.65

$65.9 NOK 635

-55.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.81

$12.11 NOK 117

-64.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.18 NOK 21.01

-2.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.86

$73.7 NOK 710

-59.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.59

$2.17 NOK 20.93

-16.13%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$35.9K NOK 345.8K

5.54%

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

$32.4K €28.3K

$43.8K NOK 421.4K

-25.99%

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

$189 €165

$240 NOK 2,312

-21.26%

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

$22.29 €19.48

$39.04 NOK 376

-42.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.47

$39.85 NOK 384

-6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.7

$57.3 NOK 552

1.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.05

$30.76 NOK 296

-32.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.50

$17.47 NOK 168

-37.78%

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

$706 €617

$268 NOK 2,577

163.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$2,464 NOK 23.7K

503.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.2

$85.4 NOK 822

4.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €31.98

$44.17 NOK 425

-17.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €90.9

$110 NOK 1,060

-5.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$135 NOK 1,298

-11.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,379

$944 NOK 9,093

67.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,082

$794 NOK 7,645

55.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,370

$1,396 NOK 13.4K

94.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,782

$1,144 NOK 11.0K

78.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,576

$4,409 NOK 42.5K

70.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,577

$2,429 NOK 23.4K

115.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,065

$4,120 NOK 39.7K

-42.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

4.03

-15.88%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Alesund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $944 in Alesund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Alesund, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Barcelona versus $88.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $419 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barcelona vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona costs about 5% more than Alesund, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $3,323 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alesund, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Barcelona and $88.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,320 in Barcelona and $2,215 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alesund, where all-in costs run around $2,215, than in Barcelona at $2,320. In Alesund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,215 in Alesund to $2,320 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alesund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.