Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Barcelona

Name: Barcelona
Address: Barcelona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,015 per month in Aarau vs $2,399 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,757 per month in Aarau vs $3,496 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,499 per month in Aarau vs $4,592 in Barcelona, rent included.

Aarau costs about 26% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aarau and Barcelona sit above the global median – Aarau by 126%, Barcelona by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.94 CHF 23.75

$17.68 €15.22

69.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.3

$70.1 €60.3

53.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.24 CHF 15.26

$13.66 €11.76

40.85%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 4.99

$2.74 €2.36

129.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CHF 2.73

$2.79 €2.40

23.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.89

$1.96 €1.69

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 CHF 6.54

$4.36 €3.76

88.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 5.95

$4.58 €3.94

63.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$1.29 €1.11

63.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$2.05 €1.77

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.98 €1.71

23.74%

Eggs

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$3.39 €2.92

102.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.87

$18.64 €16.05

54.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.31 CHF 28.80

$9.56 €8.23

279.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.34 CHF 35.16

$18.83 €16.22

135.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.21

$2.75 €2.37

1.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$2.47 €2.13

-14.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.18

$2.10 €1.80

30.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 CHF 4.66

$2.82 €2.43

108.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$2.02 €1.74

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.63

$1.85 €1.59

10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.08

$1.51 €1.30

73.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CHF 1.20

$0.90 €0.77

67.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$7.06 €6.08

50.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$7.98 €6.87

33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$1.43 €1.23

62.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$2.29 €1.97

-5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.33

$2.88 €2.48

45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 CHF 117

$28.39 €24.45

418.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 CHF 7.01

$4.38 €3.77

101.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.45

$2.14 €1.84

162.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 67.9

$29.15 €25.10

193.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.86 €1.61

19.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

$39.0K €33.6K

5.51%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$32.7K €28.2K

27.98%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$244 CHF 194

$189 €163

29.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.49 CHF 34.49

$22.71 €19.56

91.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 46.58

$36.51 €31.43

60.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 CHF 52.3

$57.6 €49.59

14.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 CHF 33.09

$21.37 €18.40

95.23%

Cinema Ticket

$23.80 CHF 18.88

$10.81 €9.31

120.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,257 CHF 2,583

$726 €625

348.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

$15.1K €13.0K

63.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 CHF 73.2

$87.7 €75.5

5.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CHF 42.52

$36.89 €31.77

45.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CHF 87.3

$104 €89.2

6.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 138

$116 €100

49.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CHF 1,006

$1,573 €1,355

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 CHF 817

$1,220 €1,050

-15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 CHF 1,941

$2,711 €2,335

-9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 CHF 1,674

$1,966 €1,693

7.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K CHF 8,283

$7,811 €6,726

33.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,976

$5,267 €4,535

138.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,163 CHF 5,681

$2,375 €2,045

201.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

3.39

-26.25%

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

Last update for Aarau: June 14, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Aarau versus $1,573 in Barcelona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 202% higher in Aarau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Aarau versus $70.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $321 – making Barcelona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Aarau vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 26% more than Barcelona, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,522 per month in Aarau and $3,599 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barcelona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 419% less in Barcelona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,257 per month in Aarau and $726 in Barcelona. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,015 in Aarau and $2,399 in Barcelona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barcelona costs $2,399 versus $3,015 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barcelona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.