🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,212 in Drammen versus $2,320 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,324 in Drammen versus $3,426 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,437 in Drammen versus $4,532 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Drammen costs roughly 5% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Drammen66% above, Barcelona74% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63NOK 199
$17.66€15.43
16.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.8NOK 720
$69.7€60.9
7.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.18NOK 127
$14.16€12.37
-6.92%
Cappuccino
$4.73NOK 45.58
$2.80€2.45
68.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45NOK 23.61
$2.81€2.46
-12.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68NOK 25.77
$2.06€1.80
30.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.14NOK 78.4
$4.60€4.02
76.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.23NOK 60.0
$4.69€4.10
32.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.11NOK 20.29
$1.23€1.07
71.54%
White Bread(500g)
$3.13NOK 30.13
$2.03€1.78
54.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.32NOK 31.96
$1.98€1.73
67.68%
Eggs
$4.19NOK 40.36
$3.49€3.05
20.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.24NOK 108
$18.33€16.01
-38.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.19NOK 127
$9.83€8.59
34.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.36NOK 167
$19.13€16.71
-9.25%
Apples(1kg)
$1.95NOK 18.79
$2.73€2.38
-28.57%
Banana(1kg)
$2.26NOK 21.73
$2.38€2.08
-5.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.29NOK 31.67
$2.08€1.82
58.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.79NOK 36.47
$2.75€2.41
37.82%
Potato(1kg)
$2.30NOK 22.20
$1.96€1.71
17.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34NOK 12.89
$1.79€1.57
-25.14%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.79NOK 17.21
$1.48€1.29
20.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83NOK 17.67
$0.91€0.80
101.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.30NOK 138
$7.13€6.23
100.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.44NOK 120
$7.88€6.88
57.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.93NOK 28.26
$1.38€1.20
112.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.08NOK 39.32
$2.39€2.09
70.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.83NOK 27.23
$3.01€2.63
-5.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$76.5NOK 736
$29.35€25.65
160.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.25NOK 98.7
$4.36€3.81
135.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.22NOK 11.71
$2.13€1.86
-42.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$99.6NOK 959
$29.60€25.86
236.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.16NOK 20.81
$1.82€1.59
18.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.1KNOK 395.6K
$37.9K€33.1K
8.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.1KNOK 376.7K
$32.4K€28.3K
20.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$218NOK 2,101
$189€165
15.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.27NOK 417
$22.29€19.48
94.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.61NOK 362
$37.16€32.47
1.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$84.5NOK 814
$58.0€50.7
45.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.41NOK 341
$20.66€18.05
71.39%
Cinema Ticket
$15.17NOK 146
$10.87€9.50
39.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$302NOK 2,906
$706€617
-57.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.1KNOK 97.5K
$14.9K€13.0K
-31.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.2NOK 936
$89.4€78.2
8.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.93NOK 240
$36.60€31.98
-31.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101NOK 970
$104€90.9
-3.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144NOK 1,390
$119€104
20.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$942NOK 9,070
$1,579€1,379
-40.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$769NOK 7,407
$1,238€1,082
-37.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,460NOK 14.1K
$2,712€2,370
-46.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,366NOK 13.2K
$2,039€1,782
-33.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$10.3KNOK 99.5K
$7,527€6,576
37.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,145NOK 59.2K
$5,239€4,577
17.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Drammen
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,527NOK 34.0K
$2,364€2,065
49.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.38
3.39
29.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Drammen: July 11, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $942 in Drammen and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Drammen pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $75.0 in Drammen vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $320 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
Drammen vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Drammen and in Barcelona?
Drammen and Barcelona differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,212 vs $2,320 including rent). Drammen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Drammen or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 49% higher in Drammen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Drammen and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $942 in Drammen versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Drammen and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $302 in Drammen versus $706 in Barcelona. 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 18% 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 $2,212 in Drammen versus $2,320 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Drammen but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Drammen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Drammen and Barcelona?
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 Drammen or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Drammen and Barcelona 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: Drammen or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Drammen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.