Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Eschen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Eschen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $982 in Eschen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $1,581 in Eschen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $2,180 in Eschen.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 138% more expensive than Eschen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 75% above, Eschen is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.61 €15.04

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 €58.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.75 €11.74

Cappuccino

$2.76 €2.36

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

$2.78 €2.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 €3.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 €3.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.80

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Eggs

$3.44 €2.94

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 €16.08

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 €8.07

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.01 €16.24

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 €2.32

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 €2.03

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.36

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.53

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 €5.77

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 €6.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 €2.59

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 €24.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

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

$38.7K €33.1K

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

$32.4K €27.6K

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

$189 €161

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

$22.21 €18.96

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 €31.44

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €49.52

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$11.05 €9.44

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

$726 €620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.3 €75.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.98 €31.58

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €87.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 €1,304

$1,215 CHF 960

25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 €1,040

$995 CHF 786

22.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 €2,386

$2,568 CHF 2,029

8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 €1,731

$2,199 CHF 1,737

-7.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,094 €6,058

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,849 €4,141

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,404 €2,053

$8,820 CHF 6,968

-72.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

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

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Last update for Eschen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $1,215 in Eschen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eschen pays 267% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Eschen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Eschen differ by about 138% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $982 including rent). Eschen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Eschen earns 267% 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: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,215 in Eschen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $982 in Eschen versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Eschen but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Eschen 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 Eschen 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 Eschen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.