🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,811 in Norrkoping versus $2,336 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,743 in Norrkoping versus $3,475 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,675 in Norrkoping versus $4,614 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in Norrkoping costs roughly 22% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Norrkoping35% above, Barcelona74% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.47SEK 115
$17.45€14.88
-28.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.5SEK 639
$69.8€59.6
-0.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.38SEK 95.5
$13.91€11.86
-25.38%
Cappuccino
$4.82SEK 44.35
$2.74€2.34
75.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44SEK 22.44
$2.70€2.30
-9.63%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80SEK 16.52
$2.03€1.73
-11.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.51SEK 69.1
$4.51€3.85
66.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.81SEK 71.9
$4.61€3.93
69.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59SEK 14.59
$1.28€1.09
24.22%
White Bread(500g)
$2.74SEK 25.21
$2.10€1.79
30.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.46SEK 41.07
$1.99€1.70
124.12%
Eggs
$4.24SEK 38.96
$3.45€2.95
22.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.02SEK 111
$18.61€15.87
-35.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.14SEK 130
$9.41€8.03
50.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.26SEK 150
$18.70€15.95
-13.05%
Apples(1kg)
$3.07SEK 28.23
$2.61€2.22
17.62%
Banana(1kg)
$2.88SEK 26.45
$2.39€2.04
20.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.69SEK 33.97
$2.19€1.86
68.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.18SEK 47.70
$2.81€2.40
84.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.51SEK 13.91
$2.03€1.73
-25.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82SEK 16.76
$1.87€1.60
-2.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.01SEK 18.54
$1.45€1.24
38.62%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28SEK 11.75
$0.92€0.79
39.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.66SEK 70.5
$6.82€5.82
12.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.93SEK 101
$7.71€6.58
41.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92SEK 17.70
$1.38€1.18
39.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59SEK 23.82
$2.33€1.99
11.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.40SEK 31.30
$2.88€2.46
18.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$118SEK 1,088
$29.04€24.77
307.23%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.63SEK 51.8
$4.43€3.78
27.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.64SEK 15.10
$2.14€1.82
-23.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$63.5SEK 584
$28.96€24.71
119.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.96SEK 18.05
$1.90€1.62
3.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6KSEK 300.0K
$37.9K€32.3K
-13.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3KSEK 315.2K
$33.3K€28.4K
2.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102SEK 938
$186€158
-45.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.88SEK 247
$22.17€18.91
21.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.92SEK 404
$36.52€31.15
20.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.58SEK 327
$58.4€49.81
-39.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.72SEK 384
$20.75€17.70
101.06%
Cinema Ticket
$16.01SEK 147
$11.10€9.47
44.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$149SEK 1,372
$705€601
-78.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,416SEK 13.0K
$15.2K€13.0K
-90.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.9SEK 726
$86.4€73.7
-8.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.38SEK 344
$36.88€31.46
1.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.2SEK 876
$104€88.8
-8.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117SEK 1,072
$115€98.4
1.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$710SEK 6,531
$1,538€1,312
-53.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$615SEK 5,657
$1,242€1,060
-50.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,193SEK 11.0K
$2,728€2,327
-56.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$906SEK 8,338
$2,011€1,716
-54.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,133SEK 38.0K
$7,155€6,104
-42.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,004SEK 27.6K
$4,843€4,131
-37.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,338SEK 30.7K
$2,474€2,111
34.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.8
3.39
41.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Norrkoping: April 19, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Norrkoping and $1,538 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Norrkoping pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $69 in Norrkoping vs $70 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 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
Norrkoping vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Norrkoping and Barcelona?
Norrkoping and Barcelona differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,811 vs $2,336 including rent). Norrkoping is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Norrkoping or Barcelona?
Norrkoping pays 35% more on average, 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 Norrkoping and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $710 in Norrkoping versus $1,538 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 Norrkoping and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $149 in Norrkoping versus $705 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 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,811 in Norrkoping versus $2,336 in Barcelona, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Norrkoping but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Norrkoping the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Norrkoping 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 Norrkoping or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Norrkoping 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: Norrkoping or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Norrkoping gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Norrkoping vs other spots: cost of living compared