🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,750 in Linkoping versus $2,495 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,802 in Linkoping versus $3,550 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,853 in Linkoping versus $4,605 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Linkoping costs roughly 30% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Linkoping27% above, Barcelona82% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.65SEK 131
$18.39€15.83
-25.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.6SEK 637
$69.2€59.5
-3.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.60SEK 101
$14.13€12.16
-24.98%
Cappuccino
$4.55SEK 43.48
$3.13€2.70
45.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77SEK 26.51
$3.02€2.59
-8.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23SEK 21.33
$1.96€1.69
13.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.16SEK 68.5
$4.00€3.44
79.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.52SEK 71.9
$4.76€4.10
57.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.80SEK 17.18
$1.25€1.07
44.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.74SEK 26.22
$2.16€1.86
26.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.15SEK 30.11
$1.69€1.45
86.39%
Eggs
$3.97SEK 37.94
$4.93€4.24
-19.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.24SEK 117
$17.88€15.39
-31.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.99SEK 115
$9.61€8.27
24.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.78SEK 170
$19.34€16.64
-8.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.15SEK 30.14
$3.24€2.78
-2.78%
Banana(1kg)
$2.63SEK 25.19
$2.18€1.87
20.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.03SEK 19.40
$2.67€2.30
-23.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.53SEK 43.37
$2.77€2.39
63.54%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53SEK 14.68
$2.21€1.90
-30.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.73SEK 16.59
$2.19€1.88
-21.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.09SEK 20.03
$1.52€1.31
37.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72SEK 16.48
$0.92€0.79
86.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.33SEK 70.1
$7.12€6.13
2.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37SEK 99.2
$8.14€7.00
27.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02SEK 19.30
$1.50€1.29
34.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36SEK 22.61
$2.78€2.39
-15.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.52SEK 33.67
$3.15€2.71
11.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.3SEK 768
$26.99€23.23
197.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.41SEK 61.3
$3.25€2.80
97.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.73SEK 16.56
$1.50€1.29
15.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$60.9SEK 582
$34.89€30.03
74.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.84SEK 17.63
$1.75€1.50
5.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0KSEK 334.3K
$36.7K€31.5K
-4.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2KSEK 327.2K
$30.9K€26.6K
10.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$109SEK 1,042
$188€161
-41.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.78SEK 189
$15.44€13.29
28.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.23SEK 347
$37.80€32.52
-4.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.01SEK 383
$57.2€49.21
-30.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.08SEK 336
$16.80€14.45
108.81%
Cinema Ticket
$16.67SEK 159
$11.58€9.96
43.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226SEK 2,165
$1,003€863
-77.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,531SEK 43.3K
$17.0K€14.6K
-73.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.1SEK 871
$89.2€76.8
2.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.74SEK 332
$40.87€35.17
-15.00%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.1SEK 920
$110€94.6
-12.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137SEK 1,311
$123€106
11.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$842SEK 8,051
$1,673€1,440
-49.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$601SEK 5,747
$1,331€1,146
-54.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,299SEK 12.4K
$2,596€2,234
-49.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,219SEK 11.7K
$1,950€1,678
-37.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,563SEK 43.6K
$7,573€6,517
-39.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,836SEK 27.1K
$5,370€4,621
-47.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Linkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,705SEK 25.9K
$2,402€2,067
12.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.06
3.16
-3.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Linkoping: August 30, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $842 in Linkoping and $1,673 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Linkoping pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $67.0 in Linkoping vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $332, with Barcelona cheaper for home cooking.
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
Linkoping vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Linkoping and in Barcelona?
Linkoping and Barcelona differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,750 vs $2,495 including rent). Linkoping is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Linkoping or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 13% higher in Linkoping, 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 Linkoping and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $842 in Linkoping versus $1,673 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 Linkoping and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $226 in Linkoping versus $1,003 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 8% 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 $1,750 in Linkoping versus $2,495 in Barcelona, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Linkoping but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Linkoping the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Linkoping 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 Linkoping or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Linkoping 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: Linkoping or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Linkoping gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.