Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Arbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,320 per month in Barcelona vs $3,361 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Barcelona vs $5,221 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,532 per month in Barcelona vs $7,082 in Arbon, rent included.

Barcelona is about 31% cheaper than Arbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barcelona and Arbon sit above the global median – Barcelona by 74%, Arbon by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$30.53 CHF 24.73

-42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$139 CHF 113

-49.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$17.34 CHF 14.05

-18.34%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$6.16 CHF 4.99

-54.55%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$5.35 CHF 4.33

-47.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$4.35 CHF 3.53

-52.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$7.72 CHF 6.25

-40.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$7.19 CHF 5.83

-34.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-46.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$3.63 CHF 2.94

-45.45%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$7.91 CHF 6.41

-55.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$27.75 CHF 22.47

-33.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$32.72 CHF 26.50

-69.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$41.18 CHF 33.36

-53.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$3.19 CHF 2.58

-14.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$1.83 CHF 1.48

30.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.49 CHF 2.02

-16.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$6.36 CHF 5.15

-56.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-21.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-24.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.58 CHF 2.09

-42.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$10.80 CHF 8.75

-33.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$11.17 CHF 9.05

-29.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.33 CHF 1.88

2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$97.0 CHF 78.6

-69.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$6.71 CHF 5.43

-35.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$4.24 CHF 3.43

-49.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$78.8 CHF 63.9

-62.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-16.13%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-4.68%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

-24.59%

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

$189 €166

$251 CHF 203

-24.61%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$59.3 CHF 48.06

-62.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$54.0 CHF 43.76

-31.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$89.4 CHF 72.4

-35.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$22.30 CHF 18.07

-51.26%

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

$706 €618

$2,789 CHF 2,259

-74.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$42.8K CHF 34.7K

-65.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$137 CHF 111

-34.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$64.4 CHF 52.2

-43.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$131 CHF 106

-20.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$161 CHF 130

-25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$1,702 CHF 1,379

-7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$1,445 CHF 1,171

-14.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$2,874 CHF 2,328

-5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$2,437 CHF 1,974

-16.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

-49.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$10.6K CHF 8,603

-50.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$11.3K CHF 9,167

-79.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

2.5

35.60%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arbon: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,702 in Arbon. 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 379% higher in Arbon, 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 $70.0 in Barcelona versus $139 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $608 – 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 Arbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona, $3,361 in Arbon – roughly 45% apart. Arbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,480 per month in Barcelona and $5,041 in Arbon. 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 $2,320 in Barcelona and $3,361 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 231% 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 $2,320, than in Arbon at $3,361. In Barcelona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,320 in Barcelona to $3,361 in Arbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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