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: $2,336 in Barcelona versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,475 in Barcelona versus $4,931 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,614 in Barcelona versus $6,712 in Schaffhausen.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 26% less than in Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, Schaffhausen 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 €14.88

$31.31 CHF 24.55

-44.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €59.6

$125 CHF 98.1

-44.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.86

$15.86 CHF 12.43

-12.30%

Cappuccino

$2.74 €2.34

$5.43 CHF 4.26

-49.54%

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

$2.70 €2.30

$5.42 CHF 4.25

-50.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.73

$4.42 CHF 3.47

-54.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 €3.85

$8.20 CHF 6.43

-45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.93

$7.59 CHF 5.95

-39.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.09

$1.90 CHF 1.49

-32.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.79

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-44.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$3.55 CHF 2.79

-43.94%

Eggs

$3.45 €2.95

$7.66 CHF 6.01

-54.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.61 €15.87

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-37.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 €8.03

$35.28 CHF 27.66

-73.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 €15.95

$51.8 CHF 40.59

-63.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$3.77 CHF 2.95

-30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.24 CHF 1.76

6.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 €1.86

$2.87 CHF 2.25

-23.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.40

$6.02 CHF 4.72

-53.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$2.46 CHF 1.93

-17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.60

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.28 CHF 1.01

-28.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 €5.82

$11.29 CHF 8.85

-39.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 €6.58

$13.90 CHF 10.90

-44.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.36 CHF 1.07

1.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €1.99

$2.75 CHF 2.15

-15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.46

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-24.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.04 €24.77

$85.1 CHF 66.7

-65.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.43 €3.78

$10.08 CHF 7.91

-56.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.82

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-47.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 €24.71

$62.3 CHF 48.83

-53.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-11.63%

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

$37.9K €32.3K

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

-7.25%

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

$33.3K €28.4K

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

-21.62%

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

$186 €158

$242 CHF 190

-23.40%

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

$22.17 €18.91

$28.69 CHF 22.49

-22.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.15

$43.53 CHF 34.13

-16.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 €49.81

$109 CHF 85.7

-46.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 €17.70

$47.51 CHF 37.25

-56.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 €9.47

$22.50 CHF 17.64

-50.67%

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

$705 €601

$3,325 CHF 2,607

-78.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.0K

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

-65.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 €73.7

$112 CHF 87.9

-22.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$68.3 CHF 53.5

-45.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €88.8

$130 CHF 102

-19.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €98.4

$158 CHF 124

-27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 €1,312

$1,214 CHF 952

26.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,060

$1,221 CHF 957

1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 €2,327

$2,754 CHF 2,159

-0.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,716

$2,163 CHF 1,696

-7.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,155 €6,104

$8,567 CHF 6,717

-16.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,843 €4,131

$6,910 CHF 5,417

-29.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 €2,111

$9,437 CHF 7,398

-73.78%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,538 in Barcelona and $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 281% 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: $70 in Barcelona vs $125 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 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 35% in total monthly costs ($2,336 vs $3,151 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Schaffhausen earns 281% less. 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: $1,538 in Barcelona versus $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $705 in Barcelona versus $3,325 in Schaffhausen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 112% higher in Schaffhausen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,336 in Barcelona versus $3,151 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 35% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.