Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Barcelona

Name: Barcelona
Address: Barcelona, ES

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,472 per month in Altstätten vs $2,337 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,343 per month in Altstätten vs $3,468 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,214 per month in Altstätten vs $4,599 in Barcelona, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 49% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Altstätten and Barcelona sit above the global median – Altstätten by 158%, Barcelona by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.06 CHF 24.66

$17.08 €14.72

81.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 114

$69.2 €59.7

107.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.44

$13.78 €11.87

31.93%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.84

$2.76 €2.37

120.65%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.28

$2.79 €2.40

93.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CHF 3.76

$1.99 €1.72

137.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 CHF 6.62

$4.36 €3.76

91.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CHF 5.74

$4.74 €4.09

52.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$1.29 €1.11

65.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 CHF 2.84

$2.05 €1.77

74.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$1.99 €1.71

108.04%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$3.39 €2.92

122.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.23 CHF 23.21

$18.81 €16.21

55.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.90 CHF 26.12

$9.36 €8.07

251.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.54 CHF 37.74

$19.12 €16.48

148.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CHF 2.99

$2.70 €2.32

39.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.34 €2.02

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.30

$2.12 €1.83

36.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.87

$2.85 €2.46

115.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$1.97 €1.70

22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$1.80 €1.55

36.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.06

$1.45 €1.25

78.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.04

$0.86 €0.74

52.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 8.87

$6.78 €5.84

64.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.96

$7.90 €6.81

74.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$1.39 €1.20

75.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.55

$2.37 €2.04

35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$2.92 €2.52

35.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 77.4

$28.69 €24.72

239.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 CHF 6.11

$4.46 €3.84

72.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.31

$2.05 €1.77

103.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 63.2

$29.55 €25.46

169.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$1.82 €1.56

20.33%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

$38.8K €33.5K

4.50%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$33.1K €28.5K

23.43%

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

$256 CHF 203

$189 €163

35.07%

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

$48.37 CHF 38.40

$22.80 €19.65

112.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.80

$37.59 €32.39

53.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.6

$57.7 €49.75

54.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.87

Cinema Ticket

$22.76 CHF 18.07

$10.82 €9.33

110.35%

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

$2,854 CHF 2,266

$728 €628

291.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

$14.8K €12.7K

135.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 111

$88.6 €76.4

57.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 CHF 53.0

$36.85 €31.75

80.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$102 €87.9

43.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 150

$116 €100

62.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CHF 1,375

$1,569 €1,352

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,184

$1,218 €1,050

22.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 CHF 2,273

$2,795 €2,409

2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 CHF 1,931

$1,975 €1,702

23.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

$7,754 €6,680

92.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,351

$5,176 €4,460

103.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,343 €2,019

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 Altstätten: June 6, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Altstätten versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Altstätten versus $69.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 vs $319 – 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

Altstätten vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,208 per month in Altstätten and $3,505 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,472 in Altstätten and $2,337 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 240% less in Barcelona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,472 in Altstätten and $2,337 in Barcelona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Barcelona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Altstätten makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.