😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $1,799 in Solna.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $2,686 in Solna.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $3,572 in Solna.
😐Living in Barcelona is roughly 30% more expensive than Solna, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona75% above, Solna34% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61€15.08
$14.71SEK 137
19.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7€58.8
$56.1SEK 522
22.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75€11.77
$10.60SEK 98.6
29.72%
Cappuccino
$2.76€2.36
$4.87SEK 45.32
-43.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78€2.38
$3.24SEK 30.18
-14.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05€1.75
$1.55SEK 14.38
32.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61€3.94
$7.52SEK 69.9
-38.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€3.93
$8.14SEK 75.7
-43.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28€1.10
$1.53SEK 14.20
-16.34%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11€1.81
$2.67SEK 24.83
-20.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$3.73SEK 34.69
-47.18%
Eggs
$3.44€2.95
$3.93SEK 36.53
-12.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83€16.12
$9.43SEK 87.7
99.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45€8.09
$12.65SEK 118
-25.30%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01€16.27
$14.93SEK 139
27.33%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72€2.33
$1.70SEK 15.84
60.00%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37€2.03
$2.12SEK 19.74
11.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08€1.78
$2.69SEK 24.97
-22.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76€2.36
$3.08SEK 28.69
-10.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$1.55SEK 14.39
27.10%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$2.00SEK 18.64
-10.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51€1.29
$2.35SEK 21.84
-35.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.77
$1.12SEK 10.37
-19.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76€5.79
$7.59SEK 70.6
-10.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55€6.46
$14.78SEK 137
-48.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44€1.23
$1.39SEK 12.89
3.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41€2.06
$0.97SEK 9.01
148.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03€2.59
$4.53SEK 42.11
-33.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39€24.30
$103SEK 962
-72.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43€3.79
$3.74SEK 34.77
18.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05€1.76
$1.60SEK 14.92
28.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33€25.11
$83.1SEK 773
-64.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89€1.62
$1.96SEK 18.27
-3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K€33.2K
$27.3KSEK 253.6K
42.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K€27.7K
$30.2KSEK 280.7K
7.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189€161
$110SEK 1,021
71.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21€19.01
$28.90SEK 269
-23.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82€31.52
$41.49SEK 386
-11.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0€49.64
$45.83SEK 426
26.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99€17.97
$25.48SEK 237
-17.62%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05€9.46
$15.27SEK 142
-27.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726€622
$160SEK 1,491
353.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2K€13.0K
$4,169SEK 38.8K
265.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3€75.6
$93.7SEK 872
-5.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98€31.66
$41.59SEK 387
-11.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103€87.8
$90.6SEK 843
13.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119€102
$52.3SEK 486
128.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526€1,307
$840SEK 7,808
81.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218€1,043
$651SEK 6,053
87.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794€2,392
$1,389SEK 12.9K
101.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027€1,735
$1,101SEK 10.2K
84.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094€6,073
$7,266SEK 67.6K
-2.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849€4,151
$5,393SEK 50.2K
-10.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Solna
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404€2,058
$3,986SEK 37.1K
-39.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
4.8
-29.37%
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 Solna: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $840 in Solna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Solna pays 66% 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 $56.0 in Solna. Groceries flip the comparison at $320 vs $326, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.
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 Solna: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Solna?
Barcelona and Solna differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $1,799 including rent). Solna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Solna earns 66% 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 Solna?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $840 in Solna. 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 Solna?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $160 in Solna. 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 2% 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 $1,799 in Solna versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Solna but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Solna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Solna?
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 Solna safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Solna 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 Solna?
Expats usually find Solna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% 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