😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,793 in Kista.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,815 in Kista.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $3,837 in Kista.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 31% more expensive than Kista, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona75% above, Kista34% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61€15.04
$13.70SEK 127
28.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7€58.7
$74.0SEK 686
-7.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75€11.74
$10.59SEK 98.2
29.84%
Cappuccino
$2.76€2.36
$4.62SEK 42.87
-40.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.38
$2.74SEK 25.39
1.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.75
$2.47SEK 22.90
-17.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61€3.93
$7.90SEK 73.3
-41.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€3.92
$7.31SEK 67.8
-37.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.09
$1.68SEK 15.55
-23.81%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.80
$2.74SEK 25.43
-22.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97€1.68
$3.76SEK 34.90
-47.61%
Eggs
$3.44€2.94
$4.25SEK 39.39
-19.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83€16.08
$11.98SEK 111
57.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45€8.07
$11.99SEK 111
-21.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01€16.24
$16.81SEK 156
13.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72€2.32
$3.17SEK 29.40
-14.20%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$2.57SEK 23.81
-7.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08€1.77
$3.00SEK 27.85
-30.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76€2.36
$4.47SEK 41.45
-38.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97€1.68
$1.64SEK 15.18
20.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$1.80SEK 16.65
-0.56%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.29
$2.61SEK 24.20
-42.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.77
$1.56SEK 14.43
-42.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76€5.77
$7.30SEK 67.7
-7.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55€6.44
$11.71SEK 109
-35.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44€1.23
$1.90SEK 17.66
-24.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41€2.06
$1.97SEK 18.30
22.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03€2.59
$3.46SEK 32.07
-12.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39€24.25
$72.9SEK 676
-61.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43€3.78
$6.32SEK 58.6
-29.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05€1.75
$1.60SEK 14.80
28.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33€25.05
$62.7SEK 581
-53.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89€1.61
$1.99SEK 18.40
-5.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K€33.1K
$32.0KSEK 296.7K
21.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K€27.6K
$34.9KSEK 323.1K
-7.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189€161
$113SEK 1,044
67.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21€18.96
$28.32SEK 263
-21.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82€31.44
$36.33SEK 337
1.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0€49.52
$40.09SEK 372
44.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99€17.93
$25.58SEK 237
-17.94%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05€9.44
$15.59SEK 145
-29.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726€620
$144SEK 1,337
403.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.0K
$4,172SEK 38.7K
264.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3€75.4
$95.7SEK 887
-7.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98€31.58
$41.45SEK 384
-10.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€87.6
$98.1SEK 909
4.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€102
$153SEK 1,420
-22.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526€1,304
$841SEK 7,793
81.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218€1,040
$663SEK 6,146
83.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794€2,386
$1,401SEK 13.0K
99.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027€1,731
$1,067SEK 9,892
90.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094€6,058
$4,449SEK 41.2K
59.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849€4,141
$2,664SEK 24.7K
82.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Kista
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404€2,053
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
4.53
-25.17%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Kista: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $841 in Kista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $74.0 in Kista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $363 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Barcelona vs Kista: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Kista?
Barcelona and Kista differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,793 including rent). Kista 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 Kista?
You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $2,689 in Kista 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 Kista?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $841 in Kista. 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 Kista?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $144 in Kista. 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 13% 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 $1,793 in Kista versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kista but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Kista the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Kista?
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 Kista safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Kista 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 Kista?
Expats usually find Kista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Barcelona vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado