Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and HΓ€rnΓΆsand

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $1,819 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $2,783 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $3,747 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 32% more expensive than HΓ€rnΓΆsand, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 80% above, HΓ€rnΓΆsand 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.68 €15.22
$13.64 SEKΒ 128
29.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.1 €60.3
$73.0 SEKΒ 683
-4.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.66 €11.76
$10.43 SEKΒ 97.6
30.97%
Cappuccino
$2.74 €2.36
$4.59 SEKΒ 42.98
-40.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 €2.40
$2.68 SEKΒ 25.06
4.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 €1.69
$2.50 SEKΒ 23.41
-21.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.36 €3.76
$7.82 SEKΒ 73.2
-44.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 €3.94
$7.43 SEKΒ 69.5
-38.36%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.11
$1.59 SEKΒ 14.90
-18.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 €1.77
$2.88 SEKΒ 26.99
-28.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 €1.71
$3.82 SEKΒ 35.76
-48.17%
Eggs
$3.39 €2.92
$4.02 SEKΒ 37.57
-15.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.64 €16.05
$12.17 SEKΒ 114
53.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.56 €8.23
$11.86 SEKΒ 111
-19.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.83 €16.22
$17.20 SEKΒ 161
9.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.37
$3.15 SEKΒ 29.48
-12.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$2.67 SEKΒ 24.98
-7.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 €1.80
$3.07 SEKΒ 28.73
-31.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.82 €2.43
$4.36 SEKΒ 40.82
-35.32%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 €1.74
$1.64 SEKΒ 15.37
23.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.85 €1.59
$1.86 SEKΒ 17.40
-0.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.30
$2.54 SEKΒ 23.77
-40.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.77
$1.57 SEKΒ 14.73
-42.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.06 €6.08
$7.25 SEKΒ 67.8
-2.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.98 €6.87
$9.64 SEKΒ 90.1
-17.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 €1.23
$1.97 SEKΒ 18.46
-27.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €1.97
$1.91 SEKΒ 17.84
19.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.88 €2.48
$3.34 SEKΒ 31.22
-13.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.39 €24.45
$74.4 SEKΒ 696
-61.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.38 €3.77
$6.30 SEKΒ 58.9
-30.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 €1.84
$1.66 SEKΒ 15.55
28.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.15 €25.10
$61.7 SEKΒ 577
-52.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.61
$1.98 SEKΒ 18.54
-6.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K €33.6K
$32.5K SEKΒ 304.5K
19.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K €28.2K
$33.8K SEKΒ 316.1K
-3.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 €163
$114 SEKΒ 1,071
65.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 €19.56
$28.30 SEKΒ 265
-19.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.51 €31.43
$35.97 SEKΒ 336
1.50%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.6 €49.59
$40.65 SEKΒ 380
41.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.37 €18.40
$25.52 SEKΒ 239
-16.26%
Cinema Ticket
$10.81 €9.31
$16.10 SEKΒ 151
-32.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$726 €625
$145 SEKΒ 1,359
399.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K €13.0K
$4,099 SEKΒ 38.3K
268.30%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €75.5
$95.9 SEKΒ 897
-8.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.89 €31.77
$40.18 SEKΒ 376
-8.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.2
$97.2 SEKΒ 909
6.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €100
$153 SEKΒ 1,434
-24.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,573 €1,355
$828 SEKΒ 7,749
89.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,220 €1,050
$659 SEKΒ 6,164
85.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,711 €2,335
$1,374 SEKΒ 12.9K
97.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,966 €1,693
$1,078 SEKΒ 10.1K
82.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,811 €6,726
$3,921 SEKΒ 36.7K
99.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,267 €4,535
$3,332 SEKΒ 31.2K
58.05%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,375 €2,045
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.39
4.53
-25.17%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Last update for HΓ€rnΓΆsand: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Barcelona and $828 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $73.0 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $360 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 32% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $1,819 including rent). HΓ€rnΓΆsand is meaningfully more affordable – 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 $3,599 in Barcelona and $2,729 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: $1,573 in Barcelona versus $828 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 $726 in Barcelona versus $145 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 12% 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 $1,819 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand versus $2,399 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 – 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 – expenses run 32% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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