Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,495 in Barcelona versus $3,169 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Barcelona versus $4,940 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Barcelona versus $6,712 in Olten.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 21% less than in Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 82% above, Olten 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.83

$34.18 CHF 27.65

-46.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$123 CHF 99.9

-43.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.16

$17.95 CHF 14.52

-21.28%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.70

$6.59 CHF 5.33

-52.50%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-45.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-64.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$9.34 CHF 7.56

-57.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.10

$7.56 CHF 6.12

-37.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$2.27 CHF 1.83

-44.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-56.56%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$8.76 CHF 7.09

-43.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.39

$25.96 CHF 21.00

-31.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.27

$27.37 CHF 22.14

-64.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.64

$47.48 CHF 38.42

-59.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$4.25 CHF 3.44

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$3.07 CHF 2.48

-13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.39

$4.86 CHF 3.93

-43.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-38.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.30 CHF 1.05

-29.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.13

$11.06 CHF 8.95

-35.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.00

$13.74 CHF 11.12

-40.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-45.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.16 CHF 2.55

-12.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-41.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.23

$109 CHF 88.6

-75.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

$8.24 CHF 6.67

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$4.80 CHF 3.88

-68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.03

$90.3 CHF 73.0

-61.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-23.25%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-9.77%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

-22.44%

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

$188 €161

$287 CHF 233

-34.72%

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

$15.44 €13.29

$34.09 CHF 27.58

-54.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.52

$49.15 CHF 39.76

-23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$82.9 CHF 67.1

-31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.45

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.96

$21.24 CHF 17.18

-45.48%

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

$1,003 €863

$3,643 CHF 2,947

-72.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-60.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.8

$143 CHF 115

-37.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.17

$60.4 CHF 48.88

-32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.6

$168 CHF 136

-34.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

$219 CHF 178

-44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,440

$1,260 CHF 1,020

32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,146

$1,058 CHF 856

25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,234

$1,984 CHF 1,605

30.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,678

$1,954 CHF 1,581

-0.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,517

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,621

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,067

$4,404 CHF 3,563

-45.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

2.07

52.66%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Barcelona and $1,260 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olten pays 83% 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: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $123 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $631 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Olten differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,495 vs $3,169 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Olten. 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: $1,673 in Barcelona versus $1,260 in Olten. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,003 in Barcelona versus $3,643 in Olten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Olten. 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 Olten 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 27% less than in Olten. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.