πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,341 in Barcelona versus $3,479 in Lancy.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,462 in Barcelona versus $5,298 in Lancy.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,582 in Barcelona versus $7,117 in Lancy.
πLiving in Barcelona costs roughly 33% less than in Lancy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
πBoth cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona75% above, Lancy160% above.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.61β¬15.08
$30.33CHFΒ 23.99
-41.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7β¬58.8
$146CHFΒ 116
-52.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.75β¬11.77
$18.27CHFΒ 14.45
-24.74%
Cappuccino
$2.76β¬2.36
$5.94CHFΒ 4.69
-53.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78β¬2.38
$5.23CHFΒ 4.14
-46.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05β¬1.75
$5.01CHFΒ 3.97
-59.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.61β¬3.94
$9.99CHFΒ 7.90
-53.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59β¬3.93
$7.44CHFΒ 5.89
-38.31%
π Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28β¬1.10
$2.22CHFΒ 1.76
-42.34%
White Bread(500g)
$2.11β¬1.81
$3.76CHFΒ 2.97
-43.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.97β¬1.69
$4.43CHFΒ 3.51
-55.53%
Eggs
$3.44β¬2.95
$7.44CHFΒ 5.89
-53.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.83β¬16.12
$27.17CHFΒ 21.49
-30.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45β¬8.09
$32.94CHFΒ 26.05
-71.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.01β¬16.27
$43.60CHFΒ 34.49
-56.40%
Apples(1kg)
$2.72β¬2.33
$3.59CHFΒ 2.84
-24.23%
Banana(1kg)
$2.37β¬2.03
$2.52CHFΒ 1.99
-5.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08β¬1.78
$3.03CHFΒ 2.40
-31.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.76β¬2.36
$6.40CHFΒ 5.06
-56.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97β¬1.69
$2.58CHFΒ 2.04
-23.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.79β¬1.53
$2.40CHFΒ 1.90
-25.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.51β¬1.29
$2.49CHFΒ 1.97
-39.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90β¬0.77
$1.33CHFΒ 1.05
-32.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.76β¬5.79
$11.19CHFΒ 8.85
-39.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.55β¬6.46
$12.49CHFΒ 9.88
-39.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44β¬1.23
$2.45CHFΒ 1.94
-41.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41β¬2.06
$3.17CHFΒ 2.50
-23.97%
π Getting Around
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.03β¬2.59
$3.82CHFΒ 3.02
-20.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.39β¬24.30
$100.0CHFΒ 79.1
-71.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.43β¬3.79
$7.41CHFΒ 5.86
-40.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05β¬1.76
$3.55CHFΒ 2.81
-42.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.33β¬25.11
$64.8CHFΒ 51.2
-54.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89β¬1.62
$2.24CHFΒ 1.77
-15.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7Kβ¬33.2K
$41.2KCHFΒ 32.6K
-5.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4Kβ¬27.7K
$45.4KCHFΒ 35.9K
-28.75%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189β¬161
$257CHFΒ 203
-26.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21β¬19.01
$47.66CHFΒ 37.70
-53.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.82β¬31.52
$58.6CHFΒ 46.38
-37.20%
π Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$58.0β¬49.64
$88.2CHFΒ 69.7
-34.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.99β¬17.97
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.05β¬9.46
$23.05CHFΒ 18.23
-52.06%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$726β¬622
$2,614CHFΒ 2,068
-72.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.2Kβ¬13.0K
$33.2KCHFΒ 26.3K
-54.16%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3β¬75.6
$133CHFΒ 105
-33.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.98β¬31.66
$80.7CHFΒ 63.8
-54.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103β¬87.8
$163CHFΒ 129
-36.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119β¬102
$211CHFΒ 167
-43.60%
π Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,526β¬1,307
$1,680CHFΒ 1,329
-9.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,218β¬1,043
$1,464CHFΒ 1,158
-16.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,794β¬2,392
$2,883CHFΒ 2,280
-3.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,027β¬1,735
$2,483CHFΒ 1,964
-18.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,094β¬6,073
$13.5KCHFΒ 10.7K
-47.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,849β¬4,151
$10.0KCHFΒ 7,930
-51.63%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Lancy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,404β¬2,058
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.39
2.46
37.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026
Last update for Lancy: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,526 in Barcelona and $1,680 in Lancy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
πDining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $146 in Lancy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $643 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 Lancy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and Lancy?
Barcelona and Lancy differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($2,341 vs $3,479 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable β a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Lancy?
You'd need roughly $3,512 in Barcelona and $5,219 in Lancy to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and Lancy?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,526 in Barcelona versus $1,680 in Lancy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Lancy?
Childcare runs $726 in Barcelona versus $2,614 in Lancy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Lancy. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,341 in Barcelona versus $3,479 in Lancy, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Lancy. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Lancy?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better β the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Barcelona or Lancy safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Lancy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Lancy?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet β expenses run 49% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.