Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,359 in Barcelona versus $3,566 in St. Gallen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Barcelona versus $5,365 in St. Gallen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,638 in Barcelona versus $7,165 in St. Gallen.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 34% less than in St. Gallen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 77% above, St. Gallen 168% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €14.86

$30.77 CHF 24.83

-44.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$145 CHF 117

-53.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.82

$18.51 CHF 14.93

-26.31%

Cappuccino

$2.78 €2.41

$6.31 CHF 5.09

-55.94%

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

$2.82 €2.44

$5.72 CHF 4.62

-50.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.70

$5.29 CHF 4.27

-62.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 €3.84

$7.68 CHF 6.20

-42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 €3.99

$7.17 CHF 5.79

-35.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$2.29 CHF 1.85

-44.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.65 CHF 2.14

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$3.54 CHF 2.86

-43.79%

Eggs

$3.37 €2.92

$7.92 CHF 6.39

-57.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.96 €16.42

$28.07 CHF 22.65

-32.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 €8.26

$32.38 CHF 26.13

-70.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.73 €16.22

$41.83 CHF 33.76

-55.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 €2.29

$3.18 CHF 2.56

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.04

$1.84 CHF 1.48

27.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-18.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$7.11 CHF 5.74

-61.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.70

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-22.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$2.41 CHF 1.94

-37.34%

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

$10.77 CHF 8.69

-37.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 €6.86

$11.46 CHF 9.25

-30.89%

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

$4.29 CHF 3.46

-32.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.66 €24.82

$79.6 CHF 64.3

-64.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 €3.96

$6.68 CHF 5.39

-31.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.77

$4.27 CHF 3.45

-52.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.72 €24.87

$78.6 CHF 63.5

-63.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.58

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-16.89%

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

$39.3K €34.0K

$40.9K CHF 33.0K

-3.98%

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

$32.5K €28.1K

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

-20.28%

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

$187 €162

$330 CHF 266

-43.41%

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

$22.29 €19.30

$59.2 CHF 47.81

-62.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.37 €31.50

$53.2 CHF 42.92

-31.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 €49.82

$80.2 CHF 64.8

-28.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 €17.96

$98.6 CHF 79.6

-78.96%

Cinema Ticket

$10.77 €9.33

$30.77 CHF 24.83

-65.00%

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

$725 €628

$2,877 CHF 2,322

-74.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K €13.1K

$34.7K CHF 28.0K

-56.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 €76.1

$149 CHF 120

-40.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.81 €31.88

$67.0 CHF 54.1

-45.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.6

$155 CHF 125

-33.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$236 CHF 191

-49.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 €1,319

$1,831 CHF 1,478

-16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,062

$1,539 CHF 1,242

-20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,727 €2,362

$2,720 CHF 2,195

0.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,718

$2,341 CHF 1,889

-15.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,469 €6,468

$12.3K CHF 9,918

-39.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,243 €4,541

$9,211 CHF 7,433

-43.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 €2,072

$6,725 CHF 5,427

-64.42%

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 27, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,524 in Barcelona and $1,831 in St. Gallen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Gallen pays 181% 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 $145 in St. Gallen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $614 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 St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and St. Gallen differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($2,359 vs $3,566 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 181% lower in St. Gallen. 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 $1,831 in St. Gallen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $725 in Barcelona versus $2,877 in St. Gallen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 92% higher in St. Gallen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,359 in Barcelona versus $3,566 in St. Gallen, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in St. Gallen. 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 St. Gallen 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 51% less than in St. Gallen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.