πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $1,819 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,496 in Barcelona versus $2,783 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Barcelona versus $3,747 in HΓ€rnΓΆsand.
πLiving in Barcelona is roughly 32% more expensive than HΓ€rnΓΆsand, driven mainly by Getting Around.
πBoth cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona80% above, HΓ€rnΓΆsand36% above.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.68β¬15.22
$13.64SEKΒ 128
29.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.1β¬60.3
$73.0SEKΒ 683
-4.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.66β¬11.76
$10.43SEKΒ 97.6
30.97%
Cappuccino
$2.74β¬2.36
$4.59SEKΒ 42.98
-40.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79β¬2.40
$2.68SEKΒ 25.06
4.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96β¬1.69
$2.50SEKΒ 23.41
-21.60%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.36β¬3.76
$7.82SEKΒ 73.2
-44.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58β¬3.94
$7.43SEKΒ 69.5
-38.36%
π Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.29β¬1.11
$1.59SEKΒ 14.90
-18.87%
White Bread(500g)
$2.05β¬1.77
$2.88SEKΒ 26.99
-28.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.98β¬1.71
$3.82SEKΒ 35.76
-48.17%
Eggs
$3.39β¬2.92
$4.02SEKΒ 37.57
-15.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.64β¬16.05
$12.17SEKΒ 114
53.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.56β¬8.23
$11.86SEKΒ 111
-19.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.83β¬16.22
$17.20SEKΒ 161
9.48%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75β¬2.37
$3.15SEKΒ 29.48
-12.70%
Banana(1kg)
$2.47β¬2.13
$2.67SEKΒ 24.98
-7.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.10β¬1.80
$3.07SEKΒ 28.73
-31.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.82β¬2.43
$4.36SEKΒ 40.82
-35.32%
Potato(1kg)
$2.02β¬1.74
$1.64SEKΒ 15.37
23.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.85β¬1.59
$1.86SEKΒ 17.40
-0.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51β¬1.30
$2.54SEKΒ 23.77
-40.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90β¬0.77
$1.57SEKΒ 14.73
-42.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.06β¬6.08
$7.25SEKΒ 67.8
-2.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.98β¬6.87
$9.64SEKΒ 90.1
-17.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43β¬1.23
$1.97SEKΒ 18.46
-27.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29β¬1.97
$1.91SEKΒ 17.84
19.90%
π Getting Around
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.88β¬2.48
$3.34SEKΒ 31.22
-13.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39β¬24.45
$74.4SEKΒ 696
-61.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.38β¬3.77
$6.30SEKΒ 58.9
-30.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.14β¬1.84
$1.66SEKΒ 15.55
28.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.15β¬25.10
$61.7SEKΒ 577
-52.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.86β¬1.61
$1.98SEKΒ 18.54
-6.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0Kβ¬33.6K
$32.5KSEKΒ 304.5K
19.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7Kβ¬28.2K
$33.8KSEKΒ 316.1K
-3.25%
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
$114SEKΒ 1,071
65.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71β¬19.56
$28.30SEKΒ 265
-19.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.51β¬31.43
$35.97SEKΒ 336
1.50%
π Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.6β¬49.59
$40.65SEKΒ 380
41.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.37β¬18.40
$25.52SEKΒ 239
-16.26%
Cinema Ticket
$10.81β¬9.31
$16.10SEKΒ 151
-32.86%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726β¬625
$145SEKΒ 1,359
399.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.1Kβ¬13.0K
$4,099SEKΒ 38.3K
268.30%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7β¬75.5
$95.9SEKΒ 897
-8.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.89β¬31.77
$40.18SEKΒ 376
-8.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104β¬89.2
$97.2SEKΒ 909
6.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116β¬100
$153SEKΒ 1,434
-24.04%
π Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,573β¬1,355
$828SEKΒ 7,749
89.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,220β¬1,050
$659SEKΒ 6,164
85.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,711β¬2,335
$1,374SEKΒ 12.9K
97.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,966β¬1,693
$1,078SEKΒ 10.1K
82.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,811β¬6,726
$3,921SEKΒ 36.7K
99.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,267β¬4,535
$3,332SEKΒ 31.2K
58.05%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
HΓ€rnΓΆsand
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,375β¬2,045
-
-
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 14, 2026
Last update for HΓ€rnΓΆsand: June 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π 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.
πDining 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 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 $3,599 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 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 32% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.