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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,476 per month in Barcelona vs $3,458 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,545 per month in Barcelona vs $5,270 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,613 per month in Barcelona vs $7,082 in Altstätten, rent included.

Barcelona is about 28% cheaper than Altstätten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Altstätten sit above the global median – Barcelona by 81%, Altstätten by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.32

$31.45 CHF 25.94

-40.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.5

$122 CHF 101

-42.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 €11.99

$18.47 CHF 15.24

-25.45%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$6.30 CHF 5.20

-50.79%

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

$2.83 €2.47

$5.38 CHF 4.44

-47.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.64

$5.05 CHF 4.17

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

$9.20 CHF 7.59

-56.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

$7.26 CHF 5.99

-37.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.27 CHF 1.87

-44.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.88

$3.83 CHF 3.16

-43.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.53

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-54.76%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$7.69 CHF 6.35

-33.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.58

$26.62 CHF 21.96

-32.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 €8.41

$27.76 CHF 22.90

-65.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.15 €17.55

$41.65 CHF 34.36

-51.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.83

$3.68 CHF 3.04

-11.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.04 CHF 1.69

9.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.27

$2.77 CHF 2.28

-6.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$4.93 CHF 4.07

-44.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.93

$1.84 CHF 1.52

20.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$2.11 CHF 1.74

0.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 €1.35

$2.28 CHF 1.88

-32.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.34 CHF 1.10

-29.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.34 €6.40

$11.17 CHF 9.22

-34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

$13.39 CHF 11.05

-39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

$2.74 CHF 2.26

-43.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

$3.07 CHF 2.53

-9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 €2.71

$4.57 CHF 3.77

-31.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.53

$101 CHF 83.0

-74.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 €2.85

$7.89 CHF 6.51

-58.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.29

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-68.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 €29.86

$81.5 CHF 67.3

-57.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-21.36%

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

$36.4K €31.7K

$42.0K CHF 34.6K

-13.31%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$40.5K CHF 33.4K

-24.63%

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

$187 €163

$284 CHF 234

-34.03%

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

$15.14 €13.19

$34.06 CHF 28.10

-55.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.69 €32.83

$58.1 CHF 47.94

-35.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 €48.73

$90.8 CHF 74.9

-38.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.88

$45.78 CHF 37.77

-62.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 €9.94

$23.15 CHF 19.10

-50.71%

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

$997 €868

$2,746 CHF 2,266

-63.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.4K

$35.1K CHF 28.9K

-52.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 €80.7

$142 CHF 117

-34.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 €35.91

$60.0 CHF 49.51

-31.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €96.9

$168 CHF 139

-33.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €109

$191 CHF 158

-34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,487

$1,757 CHF 1,449

-2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 €1,120

$1,466 CHF 1,210

-12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 €2,235

$2,924 CHF 2,412

-12.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 €1,692

$2,562 CHF 2,114

-24.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,647 €6,662

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

-52.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,501

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

-58.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,348 €2,046

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

2.07

52.66%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Barcelona versus $1,757 in Altstätten. 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $122 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $599 – 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

Barcelona vs Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Altstätten is pricier by about 40%, 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 $3,714 per month in Barcelona and $5,187 in Altstätten. 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 $2,476 in Barcelona and $3,458 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 289% 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 $2,476 in Barcelona and $3,458 in Altstätten. 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.