Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and Stabio

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,381 a month against $3,425 in Stabio, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Barcelona, Spain
Stabio, Switzerland
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,381
/mo nomad
Stabio
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,425
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barcelona and in Stabio

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barcelona and in Stabio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,381 in Barcelona versus $3,425 in Stabio.

  • Barcelona $2,381
  • Stabio $3,425

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,406 in Barcelona versus $5,492 in Stabio.

  • Barcelona $3,406
  • Stabio $5,492

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,431 in Barcelona versus $7,560 in Stabio.

  • Barcelona $4,431
  • Stabio $7,560

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 30% less than in Stabio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 76% above, Stabio 153% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.89 €16.01
$34.94 CHF 28.92
-48.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 €59.2
$177 CHF 147
-62.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.69 €12.25
$19.37 CHF 16.03
-29.32%
Cappuccino
$3.06 €2.74
$4.81 CHF 3.98
-36.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.75
$5.54 CHF 4.59
-44.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 €1.74
$4.37 CHF 3.62
-55.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.87 €3.46
$9.66 CHF 8.00
-59.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 €4.12
$7.30 CHF 6.04
-36.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$2.16 CHF 1.79
-39.81%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.88
$3.67 CHF 3.04
-42.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 €1.63
$4.22 CHF 3.49
-56.64%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.14
$7.01 CHF 5.80
-34.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.36 €15.53
$26.24 CHF 21.72
-33.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 €8.30
$28.39 CHF 23.50
-67.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.83 €17.74
$39.68 CHF 32.84
-50.03%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 €2.70
$3.36 CHF 2.78
-10.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 €1.82
$1.65 CHF 1.37
23.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.37
$2.56 CHF 2.12
3.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 €2.57
$5.41 CHF 4.48
-46.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 €1.93
$1.78 CHF 1.47
21.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.92
$2.08 CHF 1.72
3.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.28 CHF 1.89
-35.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.23 CHF 1.02
-28.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.93 €6.20
$10.85 CHF 8.98
-36.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.83 €7.00
$14.42 CHF 11.93
-45.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 €1.24
$3.01 CHF 2.49
-53.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.35
$3.90 CHF 3.23
-32.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 €2.60
$3.93 CHF 3.25
-25.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.46 €22.78
$115 CHF 95.3
-77.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 €2.68
$7.18 CHF 5.94
-58.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.29
$5.71 CHF 4.73
-74.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.20 €29.70
$36.82 CHF 30.47
-9.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.33 CHF 1.92
-20.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.9K
$38.8K CHF 32.1K
-16.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K €28.4K
$40.0K CHF 33.1K
-20.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 €164
$284 CHF 235
-35.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.61 €12.18
$25.68 CHF 21.25
-47.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.46
$49.18 CHF 40.70
-33.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 €48.93
$102 CHF 84.0
-46.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 €14.78
$48.09 CHF 39.80
-65.65%
Cinema Ticket
$11.23 €10.05
$21.37 CHF 17.69
-47.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$954 €854
$3,227 CHF 2,671
-70.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K €14.9K
$34.9K CHF 28.8K
-52.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €77.0
$109 CHF 89.9
-20.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.11 €34.99
$49.00 CHF 40.55
-20.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.8
$153 CHF 127
-32.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$166 CHF 138
-28.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 €1,517
$1,798 CHF 1,488
-5.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 €1,142
$1,450 CHF 1,200
-11.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,576 €2,304
$3,344 CHF 2,768
-22.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,922 €1,720
$2,728 CHF 2,258
-29.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,281 €6,515
$16.5K CHF 13.7K
-55.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,010 €4,482
$12.8K CHF 10.6K
-60.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barcelona
Stabio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,227 €1,992
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
1.9
72.63%

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

Last update for Barcelona: October 20, 2026

Last update for Stabio: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barcelona
$1.3K
Stabio
$1.4K 13.6% $174
Groceries & Markets
Barcelona
$325
Stabio
$592 82.1% $267
Eating Out
Barcelona
$270
Stabio
$498 84.8% $228
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barcelona
$229
Stabio
$359 56.5% $130
Clothing & Footwear
Barcelona
$156
Stabio
$215 37.4% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Barcelona
$77
Stabio
$144 87% $67
Getting Around
Barcelona
$47
Stabio
$167 252% $119

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Barcelona and $1,798 in Stabio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66 in Barcelona vs $177 in Stabio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $592 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🇨🇭 Stabio
🕒 Local time
01:45 1:45 AM
01:45 1:45 AM
Same time as Barcelona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,660,122
4,600
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 0.895 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.927 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barcelona Stabio 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Barcelona
  • Stabio

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Stabio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barcelona and in Stabio?
Barcelona and Stabio differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($2,381 vs $3,425 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Barcelona compared to Stabio?
You’d need roughly $3,571 in Barcelona and $5,137 in Stabio to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Barcelona and in Stabio?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,695 in Barcelona versus $1,798 in Stabio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barcelona and Stabio?
Childcare runs $954 in Barcelona versus $3,227 in Stabio. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Stabio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,381 in Barcelona versus $3,425 in Stabio, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Stabio. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barcelona and Stabio?
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.
Is Barcelona or Stabio safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Barcelona and Stabio are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Barcelona or Stabio?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Stabio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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