Comparación del coste de vida entre Barcelona y Oulu Comparación del coste de vida entre Barcelona y Oulu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,896 in Oulu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $3,071 in Oulu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $4,246 in Oulu.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 24% more expensive than Oulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 75% above, Oulu 42% above.

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61 €15.08
$16.23 €13.90
8.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7 €58.8
$116 €99.5
-40.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.75 €11.77
$14.64 €12.53
-6.08%
Cappuccino
$2.76 €2.36
$4.89 €4.19
-43.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 €2.38
$3.07 €2.63
-9.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 €1.75
$2.28 €1.95
-10.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.61 €3.94
$8.20 €7.02
-43.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59 €3.93
$8.25 €7.06
-44.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 €1.10
$1.18 €1.01
8.47%
White Bread (500g)
$2.11 €1.81
$2.61 €2.23
-19.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 €1.69
$2.82 €2.41
-30.14%
Eggs
$3.44 €2.95
$3.39 €2.90
1.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.83 €16.12
$7.82 €6.69
140.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.45 €8.09
$15.43 €13.21
-38.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.01 €16.27
$21.80 €18.66
-12.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 €2.33
$2.47 €2.12
10.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.37 €2.03
$2.13 €1.82
11.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 €1.78
$1.95 €1.67
6.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.76 €2.36
$4.14 €3.55
-33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 €1.69
$1.15 €0.98
71.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.79 €1.53
$1.73 €1.48
3.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.29
$2.58 €2.21
-41.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.77
$1.58 €1.36
-43.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76 €5.79
$11.58 €9.91
-41.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.55 €6.46
$14.35 €12.28
-47.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 €1.23
$3.61 €3.09
-60.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 €2.06
$3.79 €3.25
-36.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.03 €2.59
$3.30 €2.82
-8.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.39 €24.30
$59.7 €51.1
-52.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.43 €3.79
$7.40 €6.34
-40.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.85 €1.59
10.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.33 €25.11
$66.1 €56.6
-55.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 €1.62
$2.14 €1.84
-11.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K €33.2K
$33.3K €28.5K
16.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K €27.7K
$38.0K €32.5K
-14.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 €161
$111 €95.1
69.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 €19.01
$31.65 €27.10
-29.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82 €31.52
$27.80 €23.79
32.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.0 €49.64
$35.34 €30.25
64.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99 €17.97
$32.17 €27.53
-34.75%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05 €9.46
$17.07 €14.61
-35.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$726 €622
$364 €312
99.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.2K €13.0K
$11.4K €9,720
34.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3 €75.6
$91.5 €78.3
-3.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98 €31.66
$48.28 €41.33
-23.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €87.8
$114 €97.7
-10.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €102
$209 €179
-42.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,526 €1,307
$753 €644
102.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 €1,043
$694 €594
75.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,794 €2,392
$1,406 €1,204
98.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,027 €1,735
$1,089 €932
86.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,094 €6,073
$4,212 €3,605
68.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,849 €4,151
$1,905 €1,631
154.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Oulu
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,404 €2,058
$2,608 €2,233
-7.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.39
3.87
-12.40%

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 Oulu: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $753 in Oulu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oulu pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $116 in Oulu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $373 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 Oulu: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Oulu?
Barcelona and Oulu differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,896 including rent). Oulu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Oulu earns 8% 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 Oulu?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $753 in Oulu. 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 Oulu?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $364 in Oulu. 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 17% 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 $1,896 in Oulu versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oulu but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Oulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Oulu?
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 Oulu safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Oulu 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 Oulu?
Expats usually find Oulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% 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

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