Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ljungby Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Ljungby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Barcelona versus $1,761 in Ljungby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Barcelona versus $2,775 in Ljungby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Barcelona versus $3,789 in Ljungby.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 34% more expensive than Ljungby, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Ljungby 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.14
$13.25 SEK 124
32.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 €58.9
$91.0 SEK 855
-24.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.06 €12.10
$10.60 SEK 99.6
32.64%
Cappuccino
$2.78 €2.39
$4.15 SEK 39.00
-33.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.41
$2.97 SEK 27.94
-5.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.78
$2.53 SEK 23.77
-18.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.46 €3.84
$6.31 SEK 59.3
-29.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €3.97
$8.10 SEK 76.1
-43.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.07
$1.73 SEK 16.29
-28.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.03 €1.75
$2.95 SEK 27.74
-31.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$3.37 SEK 31.70
-43.03%
Eggs
$3.31 €2.85
$4.44 SEK 41.74
-25.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.43 €15.87
$8.27 SEK 77.7
122.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.49 €8.17
$9.62 SEK 90.3
-1.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.16 €16.50
$13.14 SEK 123
45.81%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 €2.27
$3.20 SEK 30.03
-17.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 €2.11
$2.69 SEK 25.25
-8.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 €1.83
$2.89 SEK 27.17
-26.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.85 €2.45
$3.78 SEK 35.54
-24.60%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.75
$1.76 SEK 16.50
15.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.85 €1.59
$1.59 SEK 14.97
16.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.27
$2.24 SEK 21.04
-34.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 €0.73
$1.60 SEK 15.05
-47.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.14 €6.15
$7.80 SEK 73.2
-8.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.88 €6.79
$6.51 SEK 61.2
21.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.19
$2.26 SEK 21.27
-38.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 €1.99
$2.51 SEK 23.62
-7.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.98 €2.57
$3.30 SEK 31.00
-9.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.26 €25.20
$74.3 SEK 698
-60.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.60 €3.96
$10.20 SEK 95.8
-54.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.07 €1.78
$1.60 SEK 15.04
29.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.18 €25.13
$62.3 SEK 585
-53.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.58
$1.96 SEK 18.41
-6.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K €33.6K
$32.2K SEK 302.1K
21.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K €28.2K
$35.1K SEK 329.4K
-6.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 €162
$140 SEK 1,319
33.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.93 €19.75
$24.88 SEK 234
-7.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.71 €31.61
$39.00 SEK 366
-5.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.4 €49.41
$41.28 SEK 388
38.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.70 €17.82
$25.42 SEK 239
-18.57%
Cinema Ticket
$11.19 €9.64
$17.58 SEK 165
-36.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$721 €621
$178 SEK 1,670
305.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K €13.0K
$4,192 SEK 39.4K
258.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.2 €74.2
$88.7 SEK 833
-2.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.07 €31.92
$40.16 SEK 377
-7.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 €87.9
$97.2 SEK 913
4.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 €99.8
$157 SEK 1,474
-26.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,534 €1,321
$856 SEK 8,037
79.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,220 €1,051
$645 SEK 6,055
89.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,696 €2,321
$1,417 SEK 13.3K
90.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,734
$1,081 SEK 10.2K
86.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,220 €6,217
$4,258 SEK 40.0K
69.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,189 €4,468
$2,975 SEK 27.9K
74.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Ljungby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,359 €2,032
$2,509 SEK 23.6K
-5.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.39
4.33
-21.71%

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

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ljungby: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Barcelona and $856 in Ljungby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ljungby pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $91.0 in Ljungby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $319 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 Ljungby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Ljungby?
Barcelona and Ljungby differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($2,367 vs $1,761 including rent). Ljungby is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Ljungby earns 6% less. 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 Ljungby?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,534 in Barcelona versus $856 in Ljungby. 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 Ljungby?
Childcare runs $721 in Barcelona versus $178 in Ljungby. 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 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,761 in Ljungby versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Ljungby but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ljungby the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Ljungby?
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 Ljungby safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Ljungby 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 Ljungby?
Expats usually find Ljungby gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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