Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Schaffhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Schaffhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Barcelona versus $3,172 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,458 in Barcelona versus $4,928 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,601 in Barcelona versus $6,685 in Schaffhausen.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 27% less than in Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 73% above, Schaffhausen 137% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 €15.08

$31.30 CHF 25.55

-45.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €62.1

$122 CHF 99.4

-41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 €12.30

$16.11 CHF 13.15

-12.97%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.44

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-51.06%

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

$2.78 €2.44

$5.36 CHF 4.37

-48.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.79

$4.37 CHF 3.57

-53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 €3.96

$7.99 CHF 6.52

-43.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 €4.10

$7.57 CHF 6.18

-38.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.96 CHF 1.60

-34.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.87

$3.78 CHF 3.09

-43.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 €1.70

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-47.70%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.06

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 €16.25

$29.80 CHF 24.32

-37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.36

$35.49 CHF 28.97

-73.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 €16.58

$51.0 CHF 41.59

-62.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 €2.30

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.05

$2.26 CHF 1.84

3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.83

$2.88 CHF 2.35

-27.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.50

$6.10 CHF 4.98

-53.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.49 CHF 2.03

-21.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.48 CHF 2.03

-25.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.34

$2.67 CHF 2.18

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.79

$1.27 CHF 1.04

-29.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 €5.94

$10.94 CHF 8.93

-38.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 €6.83

$13.42 CHF 10.95

-41.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.36 CHF 1.11

1.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 €2.04

$2.60 CHF 2.12

-10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 €2.63

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 €25.11

$85.7 CHF 69.9

-66.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €4.01

$10.05 CHF 8.20

-54.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$4.04 CHF 3.30

-47.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 €25.93

$61.9 CHF 50.5

-52.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 €1.58

$2.13 CHF 1.74

-15.49%

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

$38.5K €33.7K

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

-3.13%

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

$33.3K €29.2K

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

-21.62%

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

$185 €162

$247 CHF 202

-25.18%

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

$22.68 €19.90

$28.70 CHF 23.42

-20.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.78 €32.27

$42.94 CHF 35.05

-14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 €50.7

$109 CHF 88.6

-46.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 €18.59

$47.47 CHF 38.74

-55.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 €9.50

$22.34 CHF 18.24

-51.52%

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

$727 €638

$3,354 CHF 2,738

-78.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.9K

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

-66.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 €76.8

$112 CHF 91.4

-21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.37 €32.78

$67.7 CHF 55.2

-44.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.6

$133 CHF 109

-22.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$154 CHF 126

-23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 €1,369

$1,226 CHF 1,001

27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 €1,071

$1,247 CHF 1,018

-2.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,742 €2,406

$2,660 CHF 2,171

3.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,747

$2,215 CHF 1,808

-10.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,489 €6,571

$8,226 CHF 6,714

-8.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,207 €4,568

$8,564 CHF 6,990

-39.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,355 €2,066

$7,453 CHF 6,083

-68.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

2.5

35.60%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 21, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,560 in Barcelona and $1,226 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 217% 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: $71.0 in Barcelona vs $122 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $675 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and Schaffhausen differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $3,172 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 217% lower in Schaffhausen. 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: $1,560 in Barcelona versus $1,226 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $727 in Barcelona versus $3,354 in Schaffhausen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Schaffhausen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,316 in Barcelona versus $3,172 in Schaffhausen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Schaffhausen. 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 Schaffhausen 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 37% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.