Cost of Living Comparison Between Skelleftea and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Skelleftea and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,094 in Skelleftea versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,153 in Skelleftea versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,211 in Skelleftea versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Skelleftea costs roughly 12% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Skelleftea 56% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.69 SEK 137
$17.58 €15.12
-16.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.5 SEK 640
$68.4 €58.9
0.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.94 SEK 121
$14.06 €12.09
-7.97%
Cappuccino
$4.60 SEK 42.94
$2.78 €2.39
65.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 SEK 23.15
$2.80 €2.41
-11.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 SEK 18.83
$2.06 €1.78
-1.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.77 SEK 81.8
$4.46 €3.84
96.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.38 SEK 78.2
$4.61 €3.96
81.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 SEK 15.60
$1.24 €1.07
34.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 SEK 24.83
$2.03 €1.74
31.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.15 SEK 48.03
$1.92 €1.65
168.23%
Eggs
$4.84 SEK 45.19
$3.31 €2.85
46.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.61 SEK 108
$18.43 €15.85
-37.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.53 SEK 108
$9.49 €8.16
21.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.74 SEK 212
$19.16 €16.48
18.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 SEK 23.92
$2.64 €2.27
-3.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.56 SEK 23.86
$2.45 €2.11
4.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.24 SEK 30.25
$2.12 €1.82
52.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.65 SEK 34.02
$2.85 €2.45
28.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.13 SEK 19.90
$2.04 €1.75
4.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 SEK 14.97
$1.85 €1.59
-13.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.30 SEK 21.46
$1.47 €1.26
56.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 SEK 13.94
$0.84 €0.73
77.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.08 SEK 66.0
$7.14 €6.14
-0.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.32 SEK 152
$7.88 €6.78
107.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 SEK 17.37
$1.38 €1.19
34.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 SEK 15.83
$2.31 €1.99
-26.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.13 SEK 38.57
$2.98 €2.56
38.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$57.5 SEK 537
$29.26 €25.17
96.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.34 SEK 77.8
$4.60 €3.95
81.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 SEK 18.80
$2.07 €1.78
-2.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.0 SEK 551
$29.18 €25.10
102.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 SEK 17.63
$1.84 €1.58
2.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K SEK 306.7K
$39.0K €33.6K
-15.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6K SEK 313.2K
$32.7K €28.1K
2.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 SEK 1,619
$188 €162
-7.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.92 SEK 298
$22.93 €19.73
39.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.36 SEK 265
$36.71 €31.58
-22.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.29 SEK 376
$57.4 €49.35
-29.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.55 SEK 238
$20.70 €17.80
23.43%
Cinema Ticket
$15.88 SEK 148
$11.19 €9.63
41.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$148 SEK 1,380
$721 €620
-79.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,153 SEK 38.8K
$15.0K €12.9K
-72.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.4 SEK 927
$86.2 €74.2
15.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.17 SEK 384
$37.07 €31.89
11.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 SEK 794
$102 €87.8
-16.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 SEK 1,524
$116 €99.7
40.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,295 SEK 12.1K
$1,534 €1,319
-15.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$880 SEK 8,208
$1,220 €1,050
-27.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,760 SEK 16.4K
$2,696 €2,319
-34.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,408 SEK 13.1K
$2,013 €1,732
-30.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,771 SEK 35.2K
$7,220 €6,211
-47.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,201 SEK 29.9K
$5,189 €4,463
-38.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skelleftea
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,693 SEK 25.1K
$2,359 €2,029
14.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.5
3.39
32.74%

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

Last update for Skelleftea: June 2, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Skelleftea and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skelleftea pays 14% 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 Skelleftea vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $318 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

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
Skelleftea vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Skelleftea and Barcelona?
Skelleftea and Barcelona differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,094 vs $2,367 including rent). Skelleftea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Skelleftea or Barcelona?
Skelleftea pays 14% 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 Skelleftea and Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,295 in Skelleftea versus $1,534 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 Skelleftea and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $148 in Skelleftea versus $721 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 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is feasible on a $2,500 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Skelleftea is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Skelleftea 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 Skelleftea or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Skelleftea 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: Skelleftea or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Skelleftea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Skelleftea vs other spots: cost of living compared

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