🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Norrkoping versus $2,337 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,719 in Norrkoping versus $3,468 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Norrkoping versus $4,599 in Barcelona.
🙂Living in Norrkoping costs roughly 24% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Norrkoping32% above, Barcelona74% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.46SEK 117
$17.08€14.72
-27.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.5SEK 643
$69.2€59.7
-1.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.63SEK 99.7
$13.78€11.87
-22.86%
Cappuccino
$4.83SEK 45.32
$2.76€2.37
75.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42SEK 22.74
$2.79€2.40
-13.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80SEK 16.84
$1.99€1.72
-9.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.28SEK 68.3
$4.36€3.76
66.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.97SEK 74.7
$4.74€4.09
68.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64SEK 15.43
$1.29€1.11
27.13%
White Bread(500g)
$2.87SEK 26.93
$2.05€1.77
40.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.67SEK 43.76
$1.99€1.71
134.67%
Eggs
$4.39SEK 41.18
$3.39€2.92
29.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.37SEK 116
$18.81€16.21
-34.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.14SEK 133
$9.36€8.07
51.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.37SEK 154
$19.12€16.48
-14.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.12SEK 29.31
$2.70€2.32
15.56%
Banana(1kg)
$2.78SEK 26.07
$2.34€2.02
18.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.74SEK 35.10
$2.12€1.83
76.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.95SEK 46.42
$2.85€2.46
73.68%
Potato(1kg)
$1.48SEK 13.88
$1.97€1.70
-24.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80SEK 16.88
$1.80€1.55
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.93SEK 18.08
$1.45€1.25
33.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27SEK 11.93
$0.86€0.74
47.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.53SEK 70.6
$6.78€5.84
11.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.46SEK 98.1
$7.90€6.81
32.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85SEK 17.37
$1.39€1.20
33.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55SEK 23.97
$2.37€2.04
7.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.53SEK 33.08
$2.92€2.52
20.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$117SEK 1,097
$28.69€24.72
307.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.81SEK 54.5
$4.46€3.84
30.27%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.66SEK 15.62
$2.05€1.77
-19.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$63.5SEK 596
$29.55€25.46
115.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.94SEK 18.18
$1.82€1.56
6.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0KSEK 309.4K
$38.8K€33.5K
-15.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8KSEK 326.7K
$33.1K€28.5K
5.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$105SEK 987
$189€163
-44.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.59SEK 259
$22.80€19.65
21.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.55SEK 409
$37.59€32.39
15.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.56SEK 343
$57.7€49.75
-36.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$42.51SEK 399
$20.74€17.87
104.97%
Cinema Ticket
$15.80SEK 148
$10.82€9.33
46.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$150SEK 1,405
$728€628
-79.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,447SEK 13.6K
$14.8K€12.7K
-90.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.1SEK 752
$88.6€76.4
-9.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.34SEK 341
$36.85€31.75
-1.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.6SEK 888
$102€87.9
-7.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118SEK 1,103
$116€100
1.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$708SEK 6,641
$1,569€1,352
-54.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$610SEK 5,724
$1,218€1,050
-49.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,215SEK 11.4K
$2,795€2,409
-56.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$898SEK 8,422
$1,975€1,702
-54.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,927SEK 36.8K
$7,754€6,680
-49.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,012SEK 28.3K
$5,176€4,460
-41.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,292SEK 30.9K
$2,343€2,019
40.50%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $708 in Norrkoping and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Norrkoping pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Norrkoping vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $377 vs $319, 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,775 vs $2,337 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 40% 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: $708 in Norrkoping versus $1,569 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 $150 in Norrkoping versus $728 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 $1,775 in Norrkoping versus $2,337 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 32% 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