Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,441 in Barcelona versus $3,734 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,477 in Barcelona versus $5,539 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,513 in Barcelona versus $7,344 in Dubendorf.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 35% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 81% above, Dubendorf 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.35 €16.30

$30.22 CHF 25.04

-39.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 €59.4

$118 CHF 97.7

-43.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €12.21

$16.10 CHF 13.34

-14.60%

Cappuccino

$3.17 €2.81

$6.07 CHF 5.03

-47.78%

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

$2.88 €2.55

$5.46 CHF 4.53

-47.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.73

$4.72 CHF 3.91

-58.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 €3.45

$8.20 CHF 6.79

-52.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 €3.99

$6.67 CHF 5.53

-32.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.14

$2.18 CHF 1.81

-41.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.84

$3.93 CHF 3.26

-47.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 €1.59

$4.68 CHF 3.88

-61.75%

Eggs

$5.04 €4.48

$7.48 CHF 6.20

-32.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 €15.36

$32.66 CHF 27.06

-47.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.36

$25.52 CHF 21.14

-63.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 €17.23

$42.66 CHF 35.34

-54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.82

$3.44 CHF 2.85

-7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 €1.86

$2.19 CHF 1.82

-4.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 €2.35

$3.27 CHF 2.71

-19.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.83 €2.52

$6.85 CHF 5.68

-58.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 €1.96

$2.46 CHF 2.04

-10.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.90

$2.19 CHF 1.82

-2.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.42

$2.39 CHF 1.98

-33.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.83

$1.40 CHF 1.16

-33.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.25 €6.44

$10.68 CHF 8.85

-32.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 €7.11

$13.37 CHF 11.08

-40.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.31

$2.16 CHF 1.79

-31.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 €2.46

$2.75 CHF 2.28

0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 €2.61

$2.42 CHF 2.00

21.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.97 €23.07

$47.32 CHF 39.20

-45.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 €2.72

$5.53 CHF 4.58

-44.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.34

$3.32 CHF 2.75

-54.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.08 €30.28

$59.1 CHF 49.00

-42.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.52

$2.22 CHF 1.84

-22.97%

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

$36.3K €32.2K

$41.7K CHF 34.5K

-13.03%

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

$30.6K €27.2K

$39.6K CHF 32.8K

-22.63%

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

$183 €163

$236 CHF 195

-22.15%

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

$14.76 €13.11

$31.00 CHF 25.68

-52.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.68 €32.58

$63.9 CHF 52.9

-42.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 €49.60

$118 CHF 97.7

-52.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 €14.66

$79.2 CHF 65.6

-79.16%

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 €10.03

$24.48 CHF 20.28

-53.84%

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

$983 €873

$1,814 CHF 1,503

-45.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.8K

$32.7K CHF 27.1K

-48.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 €81.7

$137 CHF 113

-32.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 €35.66

$87.6 CHF 72.6

-54.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €96.3

$146 CHF 121

-25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €109

$170 CHF 141

-28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 €1,500

$1,796 CHF 1,488

-5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 €1,175

$1,820 CHF 1,508

-27.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,617 €2,325

$2,848 CHF 2,360

-8.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,924 €1,709

$2,792 CHF 2,313

-31.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,336 €6,517

$12.0K CHF 9,946

-38.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,253 €4,666

$7,144 CHF 5,918

-26.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,313 €2,055

$3,821 CHF 3,165

-39.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

2.48

27.42%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 27, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,689 in Barcelona and $1,796 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 65% 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: $67.0 in Barcelona vs $118 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $328 vs $622 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 Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Dubendorf differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($2,441 vs $3,734 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Dubendorf. 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: $1,689 in Barcelona versus $1,796 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $983 in Barcelona versus $1,814 in Dubendorf. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Dubendorf. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Dubendorf 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 53% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.