Cost of Living Comparison Between Ludvika and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ludvika and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,609 in Ludvika versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Ludvika versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,776 in Ludvika versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Ludvika costs roughly 35% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ludvika 18% above, Barcelona 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 SEK 140

$18.74 €16.33

-23.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 SEK 651

$69.5 €60.6

-4.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 SEK 103

$13.77 €12.00

-24.26%

Cappuccino

$4.48 SEK 44.19

$3.10 €2.70

44.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.88

$2.83 €2.47

-3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 21.81

$1.88 €1.64

17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 SEK 70.5

$3.98 €3.47

79.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 SEK 70.9

$4.53 €3.95

58.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.74

$1.27 €1.11

41.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 SEK 26.11

$2.16 €1.88

22.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 SEK 38.21

$1.76 €1.53

120.45%

Eggs

$5.11 SEK 50.4

$5.13 €4.47

-0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 SEK 134

$17.88 €15.59

-23.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.65 SEK 135

$9.65 €8.41

41.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.45 SEK 280

$20.15 €17.56

41.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 31.77

$3.25 €2.84

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.35 SEK 32.98

$2.23 €1.94

50.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 SEK 36.19

$2.60 €2.27

41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 SEK 41.54

$2.76 €2.40

52.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.87

$2.21 €1.93

-31.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 17.18

$2.12 €1.85

-17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 SEK 22.62

$1.55 €1.35

48.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 15.42

$0.95 €0.83

64.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 SEK 73.1

$7.34 €6.40

1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 SEK 101

$8.05 €7.01

27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 19.35

$1.54 €1.35

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 23.02

$2.79 €2.43

-16.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$13.07 SEK 129

$3.27 €2.85

299.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 SEK 20.53

$1.48 €1.29

40.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.8 SEK 816

$34.27 €29.88

141.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.75

$1.73 €1.51

4.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.0K SEK 335.4K

$36.4K €31.7K

-6.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.3K SEK 327.8K

$30.5K €26.6K

8.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 SEK 1,017

$187 €163

-44.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.30 SEK 200

$15.14 €13.20

34.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.77 SEK 471

$37.69 €32.85

26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.66 SEK 302

$55.9 €48.76

-45.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.3 SEK 506

$17.08 €14.89

200.41%

Cinema Ticket

$16.61 SEK 164

$11.41 €9.95

45.57%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$219 SEK 2,156

$997 €869

-78.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.4 SEK 980

$92.6 €80.8

7.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 SEK 540

$41.22 €35.93

32.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 SEK 966

$111 €96.9

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$216 SEK 2,131

$125 €109

72.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SEK 4,596

$1,707 €1,488

-72.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 SEK 4,339

$1,286 €1,121

-65.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 SEK 9,695

$2,565 €2,236

-61.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 SEK 9,818

$1,942 €1,693

-48.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,666

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,504

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,781 SEK 37.3K

$2,348 €2,047

61.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

3.16

1.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ludvika: September 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Ludvika and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ludvika pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Ludvika vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $418 vs $336, 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

Ludvika vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ludvika and Barcelona differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,609 vs $2,476 including rent). Ludvika is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 61% higher in Ludvika, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $466 in Ludvika versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $219 in Ludvika versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ludvika – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,609 in Ludvika versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ludvika but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ludvika the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Ludvika 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.

Expats usually find Ludvika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.