😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,785 in Haugesund versus $2,434 in Barcelona.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,074 in Haugesund versus $3,473 in Barcelona.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,363 in Haugesund versus $4,512 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Haugesund is roughly 14% more expensive than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Haugesund103% above, Barcelona78% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.39NOK 209
$18.80€16.09
19.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108NOK 1,008
$69.5€59.4
55.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.58NOK 136
$14.08€12.05
3.55%
Cappuccino
$4.84NOK 45.19
$3.12€2.66
55.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.08NOK 47.48
$2.91€2.49
74.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96NOK 36.96
$1.87€1.60
111.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.52NOK 108
$4.00€3.42
188.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.48NOK 97.9
$4.64€3.97
125.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.27NOK 21.16
$1.19€1.02
90.76%
White Bread(500g)
$3.86NOK 36.07
$2.13€1.82
81.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.48NOK 32.52
$1.84€1.57
89.13%
Eggs
$4.78NOK 44.60
$5.13€4.39
-6.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.76NOK 110
$16.39€14.02
-28.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.63NOK 146
$9.71€8.31
60.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$32.22NOK 301
$19.65€16.81
63.97%
Apples(1kg)
$3.19NOK 29.83
$3.13€2.68
1.92%
Banana(1kg)
$2.25NOK 20.98
$2.18€1.87
3.21%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.54NOK 33.02
$2.46€2.11
43.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.46NOK 41.68
$2.77€2.37
61.01%
Potato(1kg)
$2.81NOK 26.27
$2.12€1.82
32.55%
Onion(1kg)
$3.36NOK 31.41
$2.23€1.90
50.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.92NOK 27.24
$1.49€1.27
95.97%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78NOK 16.62
$0.91€0.78
95.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$17.23NOK 161
$7.26€6.21
137.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.60NOK 136
$8.29€7.09
76.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.44NOK 32.12
$1.54€1.32
123.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22NOK 39.37
$2.68€2.30
57.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.73NOK 34.85
$3.07€2.63
21.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$70.8NOK 661
$25.93€22.18
173.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$12.31NOK 115
$3.34€2.86
268.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.81NOK 16.93
$1.88€1.61
-3.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$56.3NOK 525
$34.98€29.92
60.81%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.22NOK 20.78
$1.74€1.49
27.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.7KNOK 426.9K
$36.5K€31.2K
25.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.9KNOK 410.2K
$31.5K€27.0K
39.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$283NOK 2,640
$183€156
54.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.02NOK 299
$15.70€13.43
103.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.4NOK 545
$36.73€31.42
58.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.68NOK 464
$53.5€45.76
-7.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.45NOK 340
$17.13€14.65
112.78%
Cinema Ticket
$16.97NOK 159
$11.51€9.85
47.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$238NOK 2,222
$952€815
-75.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,028NOK 28.3K
$16.2K€13.8K
-81.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101NOK 944
$82.5€70.5
22.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.8NOK 502
$40.47€34.62
32.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.9NOK 830
$108€92.2
-17.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157NOK 1,462
$125€107
24.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,685NOK 15.7K
$1,668€1,426
1.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,128NOK 10.5K
$1,288€1,101
-12.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,184NOK 20.4K
$2,663€2,278
-17.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,686NOK 15.7K
$1,904€1,628
-11.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,413NOK 59.9K
$7,513€6,427
-14.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,754NOK 44.4K
$5,178€4,429
-8.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Haugesund
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,118NOK 38.5K
$2,451€2,096
68.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.2
3.12
66.67%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Haugesund: August 15, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: August 17, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,685 in Haugesund and $1,668 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Haugesund pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $108 in Haugesund vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $473 vs $328 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
Haugesund vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Haugesund and in Barcelona?
Haugesund and Barcelona differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,785 vs $2,434 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Haugesund or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 68% higher in Haugesund, 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 Haugesund and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,685 in Haugesund versus $1,668 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 Haugesund and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $238 in Haugesund versus $952 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?
Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Haugesund. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Haugesund 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 Haugesund or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Haugesund 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: Haugesund or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Haugesund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.