Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Haugesund

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,399 a month against $2,654 in Haugesund, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. The total is higher in Haugesund despite lower rent and utilities.

Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,399
/mo nomad
Haugesund
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,654
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Haugesund

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Haugesund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,399 in Barcelona versus $2,654 in Haugesund.

  • Barcelona $2,399
  • Haugesund $2,654

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,410 in Barcelona versus $3,956 in Haugesund.

  • Barcelona $3,410
  • Haugesund $3,956

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,421 in Barcelona versus $5,259 in Haugesund.

  • Barcelona $4,421
  • Haugesund $5,259

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 10% less than in Haugesund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 78% above, Haugesund 97% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.94 €15.96
$21.97 NOK 207
-18.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.1 €60.5
$105 NOK 987
-35.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.28 €11.81
$14.38 NOK 135
-7.65%
Cappuccino
$3.25 €2.89
$4.59 NOK 43.19
-29.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 €2.67
$5.08 NOK 47.78
-40.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 €1.66
$3.98 NOK 37.48
-53.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.85 €3.42
$11.63 NOK 109
-66.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 €3.98
$10.31 NOK 97.0
-56.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.15
$2.18 NOK 20.52
-40.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.04 €1.81
$3.80 NOK 35.73
-46.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 €1.53
$3.50 NOK 32.92
-50.86%
Eggs
$4.77 €4.24
$4.79 NOK 45.06
-0.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.77 €14.92
$11.80 NOK 111
42.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.93 €7.94
$15.02 NOK 141
-40.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.88 €17.68
$33.81 NOK 318
-41.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 €2.65
$3.08 NOK 29.02
-3.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.80
$2.12 NOK 20.00
-4.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 €2.43
$3.44 NOK 32.37
-20.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.68 €2.38
$4.21 NOK 39.58
-36.34%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$2.42 NOK 22.77
-13.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 €1.85
$3.32 NOK 31.23
-37.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$3.00 NOK 28.20
-51.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.79
$1.83 NOK 17.26
-51.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.94 €6.17
$17.21 NOK 162
-59.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.78 €6.92
$14.47 NOK 136
-46.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 €1.29
$3.58 NOK 33.70
-59.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 €2.29
$4.16 NOK 39.17
-38.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.99 €2.66
$3.56 NOK 33.51
-16.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.20 €22.41
$67.4 NOK 635
-62.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 €2.77
$12.19 NOK 115
-74.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.79 NOK 16.81
-19.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.50 €29.80
$56.2 NOK 529
-40.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.59
$2.45 NOK 23.03
-26.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K €30.8K
$44.3K NOK 417.0K
-21.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K €26.7K
$43.5K NOK 409.6K
-30.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 €158
$275 NOK 2,591
-35.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32 €11.85
$32.80 NOK 309
-59.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.88 €31.03
$55.8 NOK 525
-37.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.3 €47.37
$49.71 NOK 468
7.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.01 €14.24
$36.17 NOK 341
-55.74%
Cinema Ticket
$11.06 €9.84
$16.92 NOK 159
-34.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$957 €851
$241 NOK 2,269
296.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.7K
$2,918 NOK 27.5K
467.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.2 €78.4
$97.4 NOK 917
-9.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.49 €35.12
$53.6 NOK 504
-26.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €91.5
$87.1 NOK 820
18.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$155 NOK 1,463
-21.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,653 €1,470
$1,576 NOK 14.8K
4.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,302 €1,158
$1,067 NOK 10.0K
22.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,557 €2,275
$2,099 NOK 19.8K
21.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,915 €1,703
$1,668 NOK 15.7K
14.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,286 €6,481
$6,302 NOK 59.3K
15.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,080 €4,519
$4,637 NOK 43.6K
9.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Haugesund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,281 €2,029
$3,952 NOK 37.2K
-42.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
5.2
-36.92%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 11, 2026

Last update for Haugesund: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Haugesund
$1.1K 18.1% $235
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$320
Haugesund
$471 47.1% $151
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Haugesund
$389 44% $119
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$226
Haugesund
$364 61% $138
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$158
Haugesund
$177 11.8% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$75
Haugesund
$84 10.9% $8.2
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Haugesund
$103 117% $55

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Barcelona and $1,576 in Haugesund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Haugesund pays 73% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $105 in Haugesund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $471 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇳🇴 Haugesund
🕒 Local time
14:34 2:34 PM
14:34 2:34 PM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
38,362
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Haugesund 2,020 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Haugesund

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Haugesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Haugesund?
Barcelona and Haugesund differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,399 vs $2,654 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Haugesund. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Haugesund?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,653 in Barcelona versus $1,576 in Haugesund. 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 Haugesund?
Childcare runs $957 in Barcelona versus $241 in Haugesund. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Haugesund. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Haugesund?
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 Haugesund safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Haugesund 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 Haugesund?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Haugesund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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