🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,793 in Norrkoping versus $2,476 in Barcelona.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,682 in Norrkoping versus $3,545 in Barcelona.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,571 in Norrkoping versus $4,613 in Barcelona.
🌍Living in Norrkoping costs roughly 28% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Norrkoping31% above, Barcelona81% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.83SEK 126
$18.74€16.33
-31.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3SEK 614
$69.5€60.6
-10.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.45SEK 103
$13.77€12.00
-24.11%
Cappuccino
$5.11SEK 50.4
$3.10€2.70
64.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88SEK 28.34
$2.83€2.47
1.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18SEK 21.52
$1.88€1.64
15.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.03SEK 69.3
$3.98€3.47
76.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.12SEK 80.0
$4.53€3.95
79.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.78SEK 17.52
$1.27€1.11
40.16%
White Bread(500g)
$2.89SEK 28.46
$2.16€1.88
33.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.13SEK 40.74
$1.76€1.53
134.66%
Eggs
$4.10SEK 40.36
$5.13€4.47
-20.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.32SEK 102
$17.88€15.59
-42.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.15SEK 149
$9.65€8.41
56.99%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.58SEK 183
$20.15€17.56
-7.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23SEK 31.87
$3.25€2.84
-0.62%
Banana(1kg)
$2.84SEK 28.01
$2.23€1.94
27.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.70SEK 36.43
$2.60€2.27
42.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.36SEK 52.8
$2.76€2.40
94.20%
Potato(1kg)
$1.41SEK 13.93
$2.21€1.93
-36.20%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80SEK 17.78
$2.12€1.85
-15.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.00SEK 19.72
$1.55€1.35
29.03%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31SEK 12.96
$0.95€0.83
37.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.84SEK 77.3
$7.34€6.40
6.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.05SEK 99.0
$8.05€7.01
24.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98SEK 19.50
$1.54€1.35
28.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07SEK 20.35
$2.79€2.43
-25.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.47SEK 34.18
$3.11€2.71
11.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$103SEK 1,019
$25.86€22.54
299.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.45SEK 53.7
$3.27€2.85
66.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.31SEK 12.93
$1.48€1.29
-11.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$62.9SEK 620
$34.27€29.88
83.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.71SEK 16.82
$1.73€1.51
-1.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2KSEK 317.1K
$36.4K€31.7K
-11.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9KSEK 333.7K
$30.5K€26.6K
10.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$99.7SEK 983
$187€163
-46.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.35SEK 289
$15.14€13.20
93.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.34SEK 437
$37.69€32.85
17.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.95SEK 344
$55.9€48.76
-37.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.08€14.89
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.16SEK 149
$11.41€9.95
32.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$130SEK 1,285
$997€869
-86.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$16.5K€14.4K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.3SEK 692
$92.6€80.8
-24.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.23SEK 298
$41.22€35.93
-26.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.2SEK 958
$111€96.9
-12.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$208SEK 2,045
$125€109
65.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$677SEK 6,676
$1,707€1,488
-60.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$591SEK 5,820
$1,286€1,121
-54.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,192SEK 11.7K
$2,565€2,236
-53.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$876SEK 8,634
$1,942€1,693
-54.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,600SEK 45.3K
$7,647€6,666
-39.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,492SEK 34.4K
$5,167€4,504
-32.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Norrkoping
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,182SEK 31.4K
$2,348€2,047
35.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.94
3.16
24.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Norrkoping: September 15, 2026
Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Norrkoping and $1,707 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: $62.0 in Norrkoping vs $69.0 in Barcelona. Groceries flip the comparison at $383 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
Norrkoping vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Norrkoping and in Barcelona?
Norrkoping and Barcelona differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,793 vs $2,476 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?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Norrkoping, 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 in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Norrkoping versus $1,707 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 $130 in Norrkoping versus $997 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 14% 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 $1,793 in Norrkoping versus $2,476 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 38% 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