🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,194 in Elverum versus $2,359 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,483 in Elverum versus $3,498 in Barcelona.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,773 in Elverum versus $4,638 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Elverum costs roughly 7% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Elverum65% above, Barcelona77% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.48NOK 213
$17.15€14.86
31.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101NOK 954
$68.1€58.9
47.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.42NOK 108
$13.64€11.82
-16.28%
Cappuccino
$4.52NOK 42.87
$2.78€2.41
62.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50NOK 33.21
$2.82€2.44
24.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04NOK 28.86
$1.96€1.70
55.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$10.78NOK 102
$4.43€3.84
143.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.95NOK 75.4
$4.61€3.99
72.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09NOK 10.34
$1.27€1.10
-14.17%
White Bread(500g)
$3.53NOK 33.47
$2.13€1.85
65.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.98NOK 37.71
$1.99€1.72
100.00%
Eggs
$1.87NOK 17.71
$3.37€2.92
-44.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.04NOK 66.7
$18.96€16.42
-62.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.10NOK 115
$9.53€8.26
26.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.56NOK 242
$18.73€16.22
36.47%
Apples(1kg)
$1.02NOK 9.68
$2.65€2.29
-61.51%
Banana(1kg)
$2.88NOK 27.31
$2.35€2.04
22.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.54NOK 14.57
$2.09€1.81
-26.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.56NOK 14.84
$2.73€2.37
-42.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.00NOK 9.47
$1.96€1.70
-48.98%
Onion(1kg)
$1.03NOK 9.81
$1.81€1.56
-43.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.56NOK 24.25
$1.51€1.31
69.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.53NOK 23.96
$0.89€0.77
184.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.54NOK 138
$6.78€5.87
114.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.88NOK 170
$7.92€6.86
125.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.79NOK 35.95
$1.37€1.19
176.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.85NOK 45.99
$2.40€2.08
102.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.28NOK 40.61
$2.91€2.52
47.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.9NOK 691
$28.66€24.82
154.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$15.06NOK 143
$4.58€3.96
228.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.27NOK 21.52
$2.04€1.77
11.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$88.5NOK 839
$28.72€24.87
208.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13NOK 20.15
$1.82€1.58
17.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6KNOK 299.6K
$39.3K€34.0K
-19.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8KNOK 329.7K
$32.5K€28.1K
7.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$103NOK 975
$187€162
-44.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.59NOK 404
$22.29€19.30
91.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.6NOK 612
$36.37€31.50
77.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.93NOK 473
$57.5€49.82
-13.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.18NOK 334
$20.74€17.96
69.62%
Cinema Ticket
$12.25NOK 116
$10.77€9.33
13.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$322NOK 3,055
$725€628
-55.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,523NOK 80.8K
$15.2K€13.1K
-43.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111NOK 1,051
$87.9€76.1
26.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.37NOK 459
$36.81€31.88
31.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$130NOK 1,232
$103€89.6
25.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129NOK 1,223
$119€103
8.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,219NOK 11.6K
$1,524€1,319
-20.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$890NOK 8,435
$1,227€1,062
-27.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,856NOK 17.6K
$2,727€2,362
-31.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,517NOK 14.4K
$1,984€1,718
-23.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,934NOK 56.3K
$7,469€6,468
-20.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,051NOK 38.4K
$5,243€4,541
-22.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elverum
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,066NOK 38.6K
$2,393€2,072
69.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.32
3.39
27.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Elverum: July 28, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,219 in Elverum and $1,524 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Elverum pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $101 in Elverum vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 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
Elverum vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Elverum and in Barcelona?
Elverum and Barcelona differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($2,194 vs $2,359 including rent). Elverum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Elverum or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 70% higher in Elverum, 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 Elverum and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,219 in Elverum versus $1,524 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 Elverum and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $322 in Elverum versus $725 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 17% 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 $2,194 in Elverum versus $2,359 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Elverum but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Elverum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Elverum 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 Elverum or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Elverum 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: Elverum or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Elverum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.