πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,805 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,811 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,817 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.
πLiving in Barcelona is roughly 29% more expensive than HΓ€rnΓΆsand, driven mainly by Getting Around.
πBoth cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona74% above, HΓ€rnΓΆsand34% above.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.08β¬14.72
$13.37SEKΒ 125
27.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2β¬59.7
$74.8SEKΒ 702
-7.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.78β¬11.87
$10.43SEKΒ 97.8
32.12%
Cappuccino
$2.76β¬2.37
$4.54SEKΒ 42.58
-39.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79β¬2.40
$2.74SEKΒ 25.73
1.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99β¬1.72
$2.37SEKΒ 22.22
-16.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.36β¬3.76
$7.67SEKΒ 71.9
-43.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74β¬4.09
$7.51SEKΒ 70.4
-36.88%
π Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29β¬1.11
$1.67SEKΒ 15.63
-22.75%
White Bread(500g)
$2.05β¬1.77
$2.75SEKΒ 25.84
-25.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.99β¬1.71
$3.93SEKΒ 36.88
-49.36%
Eggs
$3.39β¬2.92
$4.21SEKΒ 39.53
-19.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.81β¬16.21
$12.07SEKΒ 113
55.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.36β¬8.07
$11.92SEKΒ 112
-21.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.12β¬16.48
$17.31SEKΒ 162
10.46%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70β¬2.32
$3.07SEKΒ 28.82
-12.05%
Banana(1kg)
$2.34β¬2.02
$2.67SEKΒ 25.04
-12.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12β¬1.83
$3.03SEKΒ 28.46
-30.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.85β¬2.46
$4.31SEKΒ 40.41
-33.87%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97β¬1.70
$1.62SEKΒ 15.23
21.60%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80β¬1.55
$1.86SEKΒ 17.45
-3.23%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.45β¬1.25
$2.59SEKΒ 24.26
-44.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86β¬0.74
$1.51SEKΒ 14.21
-43.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78β¬5.84
$7.30SEKΒ 68.4
-7.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.90β¬6.81
$10.92SEKΒ 102
-27.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39β¬1.20
$1.98SEKΒ 18.59
-29.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37β¬2.04
$1.96SEKΒ 18.40
20.92%
π Getting Around
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.92β¬2.52
$3.37SEKΒ 31.58
-13.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.69β¬24.72
$73.4SEKΒ 689
-60.92%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.46β¬3.84
$6.45SEKΒ 60.5
-30.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05β¬1.77
$1.64SEKΒ 15.35
25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.55β¬25.46
$62.1SEKΒ 583
-52.45%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.82β¬1.56
$1.90SEKΒ 17.86
-4.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8Kβ¬33.5K
$32.3KSEKΒ 302.9K
20.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1Kβ¬28.5K
$33.9KSEKΒ 317.9K
-2.34%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189β¬163
$113SEKΒ 1,059
67.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.80β¬19.65
$28.99SEKΒ 272
-21.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.59β¬32.39
$35.90SEKΒ 337
4.71%
π Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.7β¬49.75
$41.22SEKΒ 387
40.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.74β¬17.87
$25.69SEKΒ 241
-19.27%
Cinema Ticket
$10.82β¬9.33
$15.73SEKΒ 148
-31.21%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$728β¬628
$149SEKΒ 1,394
390.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8Kβ¬12.7K
$4,205SEKΒ 39.4K
251.27%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.6β¬76.4
$95.9SEKΒ 900
-7.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.85β¬31.75
$41.38SEKΒ 388
-10.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102β¬87.9
$96.6SEKΒ 906
5.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116β¬100
$151SEKΒ 1,419
-23.25%
π Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,569β¬1,352
$836SEKΒ 7,844
87.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218β¬1,050
$643SEKΒ 6,028
89.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,795β¬2,409
$1,382SEKΒ 13.0K
102.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,975β¬1,702
$1,097SEKΒ 10.3K
80.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,754β¬6,680
$3,813SEKΒ 35.8K
103.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,176β¬4,460
$2,804SEKΒ 26.3K
84.59%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,343β¬2,019
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
4.53
-25.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026
Last update for HΓ€rnΓΆsand: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $836 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
πDining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $75.0 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $362 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
Barcelona vs HΓ€rnΓΆsand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand?
Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,805 including rent). HΓ€rnΓΆsand is meaningfully more affordable β a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to HΓ€rnΓΆsand?
You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $2,707 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand 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 Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $836 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand?
Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $149 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,805 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in HΓ€rnΓΆsand but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes HΓ€rnΓΆsand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better β the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Barcelona or HΓ€rnΓΆsand safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand 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: Barcelona or HΓ€rnΓΆsand?
Expats usually find HΓ€rnΓΆsand gentler on the wallet β expenses run 29% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.