😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,557 in Lillestrom versus $2,316 in Barcelona.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,952 in Lillestrom versus $3,458 in Barcelona.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,346 in Lillestrom versus $4,601 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Lillestrom is roughly 10% more expensive than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lillestrom91% above, Barcelona73% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77NOK 199
$17.19€15.06
20.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$99.8NOK 957
$70.7€62.0
41.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.01NOK 106
$14.02€12.29
-21.47%
Cappuccino
$4.90NOK 46.96
$2.78€2.44
76.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51NOK 24.07
$2.78€2.44
-9.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19NOK 21.02
$2.05€1.79
6.83%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$9.28NOK 89.0
$4.52€3.96
105.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.20NOK 97.8
$4.67€4.09
118.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19NOK 20.98
$1.29€1.13
69.77%
White Bread(500g)
$3.34NOK 32.05
$2.14€1.87
56.07%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.25NOK 31.18
$1.93€1.69
68.39%
Eggs
$4.17NOK 40.01
$3.49€3.05
19.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.51NOK 110
$18.52€16.23
-37.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.67NOK 131
$9.53€8.35
43.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.08NOK 241
$18.90€16.56
32.70%
Apples(1kg)
$3.14NOK 30.16
$2.62€2.30
19.85%
Banana(1kg)
$2.34NOK 22.47
$2.34€2.05
-
Oranges(1kg)
$3.36NOK 32.26
$2.08€1.82
61.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.03NOK 38.63
$2.85€2.50
41.40%
Potato(1kg)
$2.26NOK 21.63
$1.96€1.72
15.31%
Onion(1kg)
$2.12NOK 20.37
$1.85€1.62
14.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.08NOK 19.91
$1.53€1.34
35.95%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89NOK 18.16
$0.90€0.79
110.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.44NOK 139
$6.77€5.93
113.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.84NOK 161
$7.79€6.82
116.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.17NOK 30.42
$1.38€1.21
129.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87NOK 37.09
$2.32€2.04
66.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.18NOK 40.06
$3.00€2.62
39.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$72.9NOK 699
$28.62€25.08
154.79%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.98NOK 47.72
$4.58€4.01
8.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.40NOK 13.47
$2.13€1.86
-34.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$61.0NOK 585
$29.55€25.89
106.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.15NOK 20.66
$1.80€1.57
19.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5KNOK 330.6K
$38.5K€33.7K
-10.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7KNOK 294.5K
$33.3K€29.1K
-7.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.1NOK 576
$185€162
-67.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.09NOK 413
$22.68€19.87
89.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.40NOK 359
$36.78€32.22
1.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$71.0NOK 681
$57.8€50.6
22.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.77NOK 170
$21.19€18.57
-16.14%
Cinema Ticket
$14.42NOK 138
$10.83€9.49
33.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$237NOK 2,276
$727€637
-67.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,234NOK 40.6K
$14.7K€12.9K
-71.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.1NOK 932
$87.6€76.7
10.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.01NOK 460
$37.37€32.74
28.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.5NOK 945
$103€90.5
-4.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$179NOK 1,720
$119€104
51.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,212NOK 11.6K
$1,560€1,367
-22.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,204NOK 11.5K
$1,221€1,070
-1.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,475NOK 23.7K
$2,742€2,402
-9.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,209NOK 21.2K
$1,992€1,745
10.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,785NOK 65.1K
$7,489€6,562
-9.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,466NOK 42.8K
$5,207€4,562
-14.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lillestrom
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,658NOK 35.1K
$2,355€2,063
55.36%
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 Lillestrom: July 21, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,212 in Lillestrom and $1,560 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lillestrom pays 55% 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: $100 in Lillestrom vs $71.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 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
Lillestrom vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lillestrom and in Barcelona?
Lillestrom and Barcelona differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($2,557 vs $2,316 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lillestrom or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 55% higher in Lillestrom, 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 Lillestrom and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,212 in Lillestrom versus $1,560 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 Lillestrom and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $237 in Lillestrom versus $727 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 33% higher in Lillestrom. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,316 in Barcelona versus $2,557 in Lillestrom, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Lillestrom. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lillestrom 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 Lillestrom or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lillestrom 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: Lillestrom or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lillestrom. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Lillestrom vs other spots: cost of living compared