Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ystad and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Ystad: $1,646 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barcelona outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ystad, Sweden
Barcelona, Spain
Ystad
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,646
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ystad and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ystad and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Ystad versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Ystad $1,646
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,592 in Ystad versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Ystad $2,592
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,538 in Ystad versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Ystad $3,538
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Ystad costs roughly 33% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ystad 21% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.15 SEK 121
$17.59 €15.80
-30.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.1 SEK 857
$67.5 €60.6
27.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.23 SEK 102
$13.53 €12.15
-24.39%
Cappuccino
$3.06 SEK 30.48
$3.19 €2.87
-4.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 SEK 29.66
$2.91 €2.62
2.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 SEK 22.57
$1.89 €1.70
20.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.99 SEK 69.6
$4.01 €3.60
74.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.39 SEK 73.5
$4.53 €4.07
63.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 SEK 16.98
$1.31 €1.17
30.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.80 SEK 27.86
$2.02 €1.81
38.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.15 SEK 31.31
$1.85 €1.66
70.27%
Eggs
$3.10 SEK 30.82
$4.83 €4.34
-35.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.51 SEK 115
$16.74 €15.04
-31.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.84 SEK 88.0
$9.12 €8.19
-3.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.46 SEK 164
$19.64 €17.64
-16.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 SEK 29.76
$2.98 €2.68
0.34%
Banana (1kg)
$2.44 SEK 24.32
$2.02 €1.81
20.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 SEK 29.20
$2.70 €2.43
8.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 SEK 44.94
$2.80 €2.52
61.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.54 SEK 15.36
$2.09 €1.87
-26.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 SEK 16.87
$2.07 €1.86
-17.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 SEK 19.46
$1.46 €1.31
34.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 SEK 16.50
$0.94 €0.84
76.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.19 SEK 81.5
$6.87 €6.17
19.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.05 SEK 120
$7.89 €7.09
52.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.05 SEK 20.39
$1.41 €1.26
45.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 SEK 22.73
$2.54 €2.28
-10.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.36 SEK 33.42
$3.14 €2.82
7.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.1 SEK 787
$25.45 €22.86
210.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.05 SEK 60.2
$2.99 €2.69
102.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.74 SEK 17.31
$1.49 €1.34
16.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.2 SEK 589
$33.37 €29.99
77.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 SEK 17.61
$1.80 €1.62
-1.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K SEK 297.7K
$33.2K €29.8K
-9.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K SEK 331.4K
$31.7K €28.5K
5.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 SEK 1,044
$180 €162
-41.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.69 SEK 196
$13.84 €12.43
42.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.14 SEK 300
$33.70 €30.28
-10.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.44 SEK 373
$51.5 €46.28
-27.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.36 SEK 262
$15.96 €14.34
65.16%
Cinema Ticket
$12.15 SEK 121
$10.99 €9.88
10.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$180 SEK 1,789
$917 €824
-80.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,351 SEK 43.3K
$16.5K €14.8K
-73.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 SEK 510
$87.0 €78.2
-41.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.38 SEK 332
$38.51 €34.60
-13.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.4 SEK 870
$106 €95.1
-17.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 SEK 1,328
$120 €108
11.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$792 SEK 7,883
$1,699 €1,527
-53.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 SEK 6,096
$1,355 €1,218
-54.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,354 SEK 13.5K
$2,603 €2,339
-47.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 SEK 10.2K
$2,062 €1,853
-50.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,023 SEK 40.0K
$6,915 €6,213
-41.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,767 SEK 27.5K
$5,128 €4,607
-46.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ystad
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,881 SEK 18.7K
$2,211 €1,986
-14.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
3.28
-6.71%

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

Last update for Ystad: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ystad
$612
Barcelona
$1.4K 121% $743
Groceries & Markets
Ystad
$337
Barcelona
$322 4.4% $15
Eating Out
Ystad
$235
Barcelona
$268 13.8% $33
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ystad
$155
Barcelona
$228 47.3% $73
Clothing & Footwear
Ystad
$137
Barcelona
$158 14.9% $20
Getting Around
Ystad
$107
Barcelona
$48 54.8% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Ystad
$62
Barcelona
$74 19% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $792 in Ystad and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $86 in Ystad vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $322 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Ystad
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
10:12 10:12 AM
10:12 10:12 AM
Same time as Ystad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,350
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.95 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.08 SEK (100 SEK = 9.03 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ystad Barcelona 1,780 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ystad
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ystad vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ystad and in Barcelona?
Ystad and Barcelona differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $2,453 including rent). Ystad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Ystad. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ystad and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $792 in Ystad versus $1,699 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 Ystad and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $180 in Ystad versus $917 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 4% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,646 in Ystad versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ystad but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Ystad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ystad 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 Ystad or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ystad 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.
How do I decide between Ystad and Barcelona?
It comes down to priorities – Ystad wins on affordability, Barcelona on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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