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: $1,597 in Ludvika versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,659 in Ludvika versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,721 in Ludvika versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Ludvika costs roughly 33% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ludvika 19% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 SEK 125

$17.58 €15.14

-24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 SEK 632

$68.4 €58.9

-1.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 SEK 97.2

$14.06 €12.10

-26.39%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 44.10

$2.78 €2.39

69.06%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.28

$2.80 €2.41

-3.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.42

$2.06 €1.78

20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 SEK 68.8

$4.46 €3.84

64.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 SEK 70.1

$4.61 €3.97

61.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 16.73

$1.24 €1.07

43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 SEK 26.41

$2.03 €1.75

38.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 SEK 37.80

$1.92 €1.65

109.37%

Eggs

$4.03 SEK 37.86

$3.31 €2.85

21.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 SEK 132

$18.43 €15.87

-24.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.79 SEK 139

$9.49 €8.17

55.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 SEK 147

$19.16 €16.50

-18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 SEK 33.41

$2.64 €2.27

34.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 24.46

$2.45 €2.11

6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.80 SEK 35.68

$2.12 €1.83

79.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 41.25

$2.85 €2.45

54.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 13.97

$2.04 €1.75

-26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 SEK 19.96

$1.85 €1.59

14.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 25.38

$1.47 €1.27

83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SEK 14.90

$0.84 €0.73

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.23 SEK 67.9

$7.14 €6.15

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 SEK 102

$7.88 €6.79

37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SEK 16.87

$1.38 €1.19

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.78

$2.31 €1.99

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 SEK 30.06

$2.98 €2.57

7.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 SEK 513

$29.26 €25.20

86.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.73 SEK 138

$4.60 €3.96

220.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.86

$2.07 €1.78

-23.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.02 SEK 197

$29.18 €25.13

-27.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 SEK 17.66

$1.84 €1.58

2.17%

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

$33.1K SEK 311.1K

$39.0K €33.6K

-15.11%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.7K

$32.7K €28.2K

4.73%

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

$89.1 SEK 837

$188 €162

-52.56%

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

$21.23 SEK 199

$22.93 €19.75

-7.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.07 SEK 339

$36.71 €31.61

-1.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.44 SEK 295

$57.4 €49.41

-45.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.7 SEK 495

$20.70 €17.82

154.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.80 SEK 148

$11.19 €9.64

41.20%

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

$142 SEK 1,334

$721 €621

-80.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$741 SEK 6,958

$15.0K €13.0K

-95.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 989

$86.2 €74.2

22.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.97 SEK 413

$37.07 €31.92

18.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 SEK 1,087

$102 €87.9

13.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,451

$116 €99.8

33.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 SEK 4,540

$1,534 €1,321

-68.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 SEK 4,306

$1,220 €1,051

-62.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 SEK 9,365

$2,696 €2,321

-63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 SEK 9,266

$2,013 €1,734

-51.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,220 €6,217

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,189 €4,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,079 SEK 38.3K

$2,359 €2,032

72.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

17.99%

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

Last update for Ludvika: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $483 in Ludvika and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ludvika pays 73% 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 Ludvika vs $68.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $385 vs $318, 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,597 vs $2,367 including rent). Ludvika is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ludvika pays 73% more on average, 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: $483 in Ludvika versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $142 in Ludvika versus $721 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Barcelona pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,597 in Ludvika versus $2,367 in Barcelona, a $1,000 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 48% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.