Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $3,482 in Meilen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $5,449 in Meilen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $7,416 in Meilen.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 32% less than in Meilen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, Meilen 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$30.45 CHF 24.58

-43.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$146 CHF 117

-53.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$18.82 CHF 15.19

-27.52%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-56.97%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$6.03 CHF 4.86

-53.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$5.14 CHF 4.15

-61.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$8.76 CHF 7.07

-49.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$7.43 CHF 5.99

-37.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-41.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$3.38 CHF 2.72

-36.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$3.97 CHF 3.20

-49.87%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$7.44 CHF 6.01

-54.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$29.03 CHF 23.43

-34.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$33.05 CHF 26.67

-71.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$50.7 CHF 40.94

-63.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$4.04 CHF 3.26

-34.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-2.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$3.10 CHF 2.50

-32.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$4.97 CHF 4.01

-45.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-25.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-22.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-41.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.77

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-22.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.87

$11.25 CHF 9.08

-39.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$13.11 CHF 10.58

-39.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.19

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-37.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.08

$2.29 CHF 1.85

4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 €2.52

$4.03 CHF 3.25

-27.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$98.9 CHF 79.8

-71.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$6.61 CHF 5.33

-30.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$4.16 CHF 3.35

-50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$79.5 CHF 64.2

-63.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-17.65%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

-2.17%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

-17.46%

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

$187 €162

$251 CHF 202

-25.62%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$60.4 CHF 48.72

-63.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$59.5 CHF 48.02

-38.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$86.5 CHF 69.8

-33.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$46.78 CHF 37.75

-55.66%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$26.94 CHF 21.74

-60.02%

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

$725 €628

$2,850 CHF 2,300

-74.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

-62.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$140 CHF 113

-37.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$60.7 CHF 48.96

-39.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$148 CHF 120

-30.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$201 CHF 162

-41.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$1,679 CHF 1,355

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$1,493 CHF 1,205

-17.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$2,862 CHF 2,309

-4.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$2,474 CHF 1,996

-19.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-48.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$12.4K CHF 9,986

-57.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$8,239 CHF 6,649

-70.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

2.09

62.20%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 27, 2026

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $1,679 in Meilen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 244% 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: $68.0 in Barcelona vs $146 in Meilen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $656 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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Meilen differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $3,482 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 244% lower in Meilen. 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: $1,524 in Barcelona versus $1,679 in Meilen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $2,850 in Meilen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Meilen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,359 in Barcelona versus $3,482 in Meilen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Meilen. 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 Meilen 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 48% less than in Meilen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.