Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Schaan Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Schaan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,482 in Barcelona versus $1,299 in Schaan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,548 in Barcelona versus $2,208 in Schaan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,613 in Barcelona versus $3,117 in Schaan.

Living in Barcelona is roughly 91% more expensive than in Schaan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barcelona is 80% above, Schaan is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 €15.88

$28.09 CHF 22.93

-34.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €59.8

$87.7 CHF 71.6

-20.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.05 €12.11

$14.68 CHF 11.98

-4.29%

Cappuccino

$3.11 €2.68

$6.60 CHF 5.38

-52.88%

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

$2.96 €2.55

$3.01 CHF 2.46

-1.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.69

$6.02 CHF 4.92

-67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 €3.44

$4.94 CHF 4.03

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 €3.98

$3.78 CHF 3.08

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.94 CHF 1.58

-31.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.82

$5.02 CHF 4.10

-57.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

Eggs

$5.16 €4.45

$5.99 CHF 4.89

-13.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.56 €15.14

$29.21 CHF 23.84

-39.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.19

$24.66 CHF 20.12

-61.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 €17.18

$49.49 CHF 40.39

-59.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.73

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 €1.91

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$8.85 CHF 7.23

-67.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 €0.76

$2.42 CHF 1.98

-63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 €6.18

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 €7.18

$12.25 CHF 10.00

-32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 €2.70

$2.48 CHF 2.03

26.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 €22.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 €2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.26 €30.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.45 CHF 2.00

-28.57%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

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

$31.7K €27.3K

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

$187 €161

$88.1 CHF 71.9

112.32%

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

$15.10 €13.01

$33.26 CHF 27.15

-54.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 €32.41

$44.24 CHF 36.11

-15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 €47.83

$122 CHF 99.6

-54.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.74 €14.43

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 €10.09

$19.83 CHF 16.18

-40.95%

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

$1,011 €871

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K €14.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 €78.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 €35.34

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.3

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 €1,469

$1,848 CHF 1,508

-7.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 €1,120

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 €2,231

$3,075 CHF 2,509

-15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 €1,663

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,732 €6,665

$10.0K CHF 8,186

-22.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,384 €4,641

$6,223 CHF 5,079

-13.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,046

$8,726 CHF 7,121

-72.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-21.00%

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

Last update for Barcelona: September 7, 2026

Last update for Schaan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,704 in Barcelona and $1,848 in Schaan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaan pays 268% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Barcelona vs $88.0 in Schaan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $551 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 Schaan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Schaan differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($2,482 vs $1,299 including rent). Schaan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 268% lower in Schaan. 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: $1,704 in Barcelona versus $1,848 in Schaan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Schaan – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $69.0 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,482 per month in Barcelona versus $1,299 in Schaan – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Schaan 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 Schaan 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 Schaan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.