Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and HΓΆllviken Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and HΓΆllviken

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,337 in Barcelona versus $1,769 in HΓΆllviken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,468 in Barcelona versus $2,744 in HΓΆllviken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,599 in Barcelona versus $3,719 in HΓΆllviken.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, HΓΆllviken 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.08 €14.72
$13.97 SEKΒ 131
22.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 €59.7
$75.3 SEKΒ 706
-8.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.78 €11.87
$10.53 SEKΒ 98.8
30.86%
Cappuccino
$2.76 €2.37
$4.70 SEKΒ 44.06
-41.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 €2.40
$2.74 SEKΒ 25.73
1.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.72
$2.16 SEKΒ 20.22
-7.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.36 €3.76
$7.16 SEKΒ 67.2
-39.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74 €4.09
$6.22 SEKΒ 58.4
-23.79%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.11
$1.52 SEKΒ 14.25
-15.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 €1.77
$2.50 SEKΒ 23.42
-18.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.99 €1.71
$2.70 SEKΒ 25.36
-26.30%
Eggs
$3.39 €2.92
$4.33 SEKΒ 40.62
-21.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.81 €16.21
$10.42 SEKΒ 97.8
80.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 €8.07
$11.72 SEKΒ 110
-20.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.12 €16.48
$16.11 SEKΒ 151
18.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 €2.32
$2.74 SEKΒ 25.70
-1.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.34 €2.02
$2.79 SEKΒ 26.21
-16.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 €1.83
$3.20 SEKΒ 29.99
-33.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.85 €2.46
$3.65 SEKΒ 34.24
-21.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 €1.70
$1.47 SEKΒ 13.79
34.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 €1.55
$1.40 SEKΒ 13.12
28.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.25
$2.15 SEKΒ 20.14
-32.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 €0.74
$1.55 SEKΒ 14.55
-44.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78 €5.84
$7.36 SEKΒ 69.1
-7.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.90 €6.81
$9.75 SEKΒ 91.5
-18.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.20
$2.46 SEKΒ 23.06
-43.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.04
$2.69 SEKΒ 25.21
-11.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 €2.52
$3.43 SEKΒ 32.18
-14.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.69 €24.72
$73.3 SEKΒ 687
-60.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.46 €3.84
$6.44 SEKΒ 60.4
-30.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 €1.77
$1.89 SEKΒ 17.75
8.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.55 €25.46
$51.8 SEKΒ 485
-42.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.56
$1.91 SEKΒ 17.93
-4.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K €33.5K
$32.8K SEKΒ 307.7K
18.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K €28.5K
$33.4K SEKΒ 312.9K
-0.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 €163
$118 SEKΒ 1,108
60.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.80 €19.65
$28.35 SEKΒ 266
-19.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.59 €32.39
$35.93 SEKΒ 337
4.62%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 €49.75
$39.90 SEKΒ 374
44.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.74 €17.87
$25.09 SEKΒ 235
-17.34%
Cinema Ticket
$10.82 €9.33
$17.64 SEKΒ 165
-38.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$728 €628
$144 SEKΒ 1,353
405.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K €12.7K
$4,158 SEKΒ 39.0K
255.29%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.6 €76.4
$84.0 SEKΒ 788
5.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.85 €31.75
$42.89 SEKΒ 402
-14.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €87.9
$84.6 SEKΒ 793
20.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €100
$114 SEKΒ 1,074
1.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,569 €1,352
$828 SEKΒ 7,768
89.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 €1,050
$649 SEKΒ 6,085
87.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,795 €2,409
$1,405 SEKΒ 13.2K
98.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,975 €1,702
$1,077 SEKΒ 10.1K
83.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,754 €6,680
$3,685 SEKΒ 34.6K
110.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,176 €4,460
$2,559 SEKΒ 24.0K
102.28%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
HΓΆllviken
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,343 €2,019
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.39
4.66
-27.25%

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

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Last update for HΓΆllviken: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,569 in Barcelona and $828 in HΓΆllviken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $75.0 in HΓΆllviken for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $340 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 HΓΆllviken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and HΓΆllviken?
Barcelona and HΓΆllviken differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($2,337 vs $1,769 including rent). HΓΆllviken 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 HΓΆllviken?
You'd need roughly $3,505 in Barcelona and $2,653 in HΓΆllviken 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 HΓΆllviken?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,569 in Barcelona versus $828 in HΓΆllviken. 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 HΓΆllviken?
Childcare runs $728 in Barcelona versus $144 in HΓΆllviken. 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 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,769 in HΓΆllviken versus $2,337 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in HΓΆllviken but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes HΓΆllviken the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and HΓΆllviken?
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 HΓΆllviken safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and HΓΆllviken 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 HΓΆllviken?
Expats usually find HΓΆllviken 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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