Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Buchs Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Buchs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $3,393 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $4,946 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $6,499 in Buchs.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 31% less than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Buchs 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-41.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$108 CHF 84.5

-35.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$11.50 CHF 9.02

20.96%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$3.57 CHF 2.80

-23.25%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$2.47 CHF 1.94

9.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.08 CHF 1.63

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$4.69 CHF 3.68

-3.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$5.23 CHF 4.10

-11.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.74 CHF 1.37

-26.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$3.14 CHF 2.46

-33.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$4.07 CHF 3.19

-51.11%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$4.89 CHF 3.83

-29.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$30.23 CHF 23.70

-38.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$14.82 CHF 11.62

-36.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$51.8 CHF 40.60

-63.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$3.73 CHF 2.93

-30.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.07 CHF 1.62

15.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$2.98 CHF 2.33

-26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$6.21 CHF 4.87

-54.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.38 CHF 1.87

-14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$2.45 CHF 1.92

-23.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$2.56 CHF 2.01

-43.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.23 CHF 0.97

-25.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$11.21 CHF 8.79

-39.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$13.76 CHF 10.79

-43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$2.43 CHF 1.91

-43.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$3.35 CHF 2.62

-30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$2.44 CHF 1.91

18.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

$87.4 CHF 68.5

-66.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$8.19 CHF 6.42

-45.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$3.37 CHF 2.64

-36.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$88.5 CHF 69.4

-67.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.17 CHF 1.70

-12.44%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$30.8K CHF 24.2K

22.94%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$42.3K CHF 33.1K

-21.22%

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

$186 €158

$185 CHF 145

0.28%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$42.34 CHF 33.20

-47.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$56.5 CHF 44.31

-35.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$147 CHF 116

-60.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

$17.39 CHF 13.63

19.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$14.99 CHF 11.75

-25.95%

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

$705 €601

$2,868 CHF 2,249

-75.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$33.8K CHF 26.5K

-55.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$138 CHF 108

-37.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$75.5 CHF 59.2

-51.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$134 CHF 105

-22.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$162 CHF 127

-28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$1,839 CHF 1,442

-16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$1,597 CHF 1,252

-22.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$2,761 CHF 2,165

-1.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$2,427 CHF 1,903

-17.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$9,225 CHF 7,233

-73.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

69.50%

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 19, 2026

Last update for Buchs: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $1,839 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 273% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70 in Barcelona vs $108 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $562 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Buchs differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($2,336 vs $3,393 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 273% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $1,839 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $2,868 in Buchs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Buchs. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,336 in Barcelona versus $3,393 in Buchs, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Buchs. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barcelona and Buchs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.