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 $3,454 per month in Altstätten vs $2,359 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,350 per month in Altstätten vs $3,498 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,246 per month in Altstätten vs $4,638 in Barcelona, rent included.

Altstätten costs about 46% more than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Altstätten and Barcelona sit above the global median – Altstätten by 159%, Barcelona by 77%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.94 CHF 25.16

$17.15 €14.96

80.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 CHF 116

$68.1 €59.3

108.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.68 CHF 15.20

$13.64 €11.89

36.95%

Cappuccino

$6.08 CHF 4.94

$2.78 €2.42

118.71%

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

$5.25 CHF 4.27

$2.82 €2.46

86.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.96

$1.96 €1.71

148.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.65

$4.43 €3.86

84.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.93

$4.61 €4.01

57.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$1.27 €1.11

70.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.92

$2.13 €1.86

68.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.32

$1.99 €1.73

105.03%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$3.37 €2.93

117.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.14 CHF 23.70

$18.96 €16.53

53.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.97 CHF 26.82

$9.53 €8.31

245.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.40 CHF 38.55

$18.73 €16.33

153.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.10

$2.65 €2.31

43.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.90

$2.35 €2.05

-0.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$2.09 €1.82

38.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 CHF 5.07

$2.73 €2.38

128.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$1.96 €1.71

29.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.98

$1.81 €1.58

34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.04

$1.51 €1.32

66.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.09

$0.89 €0.78

50.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.91 CHF 8.88

$6.78 €5.91

60.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CHF 10.48

$7.92 €6.90

62.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$1.37 €1.19

71.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.61

$2.40 €2.09

33.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 CHF 3.26

$2.91 €2.54

37.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.9

$28.66 €24.98

238.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.42

$4.58 €3.99

72.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.37

$2.04 €1.78

102.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.6 CHF 65.6

$28.72 €25.03

180.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.82 €1.59

18.13%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.7K

$39.3K €34.3K

2.27%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.3K

$32.5K €28.3K

29.77%

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

$258 CHF 210

$187 €163

38.04%

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

$49.09 CHF 39.93

$22.29 €19.43

120.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CHF 48.64

$36.37 €31.71

64.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 CHF 71.3

$57.5 €50.2

52.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.3 CHF 40.92

$20.74 €18.08

142.57%

Cinema Ticket

$22.51 CHF 18.31

$10.77 €9.39

109.01%

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

$2,948 CHF 2,398

$725 €632

306.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.3K

$15.2K €13.2K

129.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 CHF 109

$87.9 €76.6

53.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CHF 54.7

$36.81 €32.09

82.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 122

$103 €90.2

45.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 155

$119 €103

60.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CHF 1,374

$1,524 €1,328

10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,211

$1,227 €1,070

21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,867 CHF 2,332

$2,727 €2,378

5.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 CHF 1,970

$1,984 €1,730

22.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

$7,469 €6,511

71.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K CHF 9,404

$5,243 €4,571

120.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,086

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Altstätten versus $1,524 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 $142 in Altstätten versus $68.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $656 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 46%, 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 $5,181 per month in Altstätten and $3,539 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 $3,454 in Altstätten and $2,359 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 238% less in Barcelona. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Barcelona, where all-in costs run around $2,359, than in Altstätten at $3,454. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Altstätten it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.