Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,866 in Dubendorf versus $2,320 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,884 in Dubendorf versus $3,426 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,901 in Dubendorf versus $4,532 in Barcelona.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 67% more expensive than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 189% above, Barcelona 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.26 CHF 25.27

$17.66 €15.45

77.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$69.7 €61.0

108.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.61 CHF 15.04

$14.16 €12.39

31.43%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 4.99

$2.80 €2.45

120.36%

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

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$2.81 €2.46

106.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CHF 4.19

$2.06 €1.81

151.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$4.60 €4.02

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.79

$4.69 €4.10

52.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.23 €1.08

83.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$2.03 €1.78

61.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$1.98 €1.73

108.08%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$3.49 €3.05

114.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.48 CHF 23.84

$18.33 €16.04

60.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.92 CHF 25.81

$9.83 €8.60

224.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.73

$19.13 €16.73

163.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$2.73 €2.38

17.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$2.38 €2.09

18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$2.08 €1.82

50.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$2.75 €2.41

164.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$1.96 €1.72

40.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$1.79 €1.57

30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.06

$1.48 €1.29

72.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.38

$0.91 €0.80

87.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$7.13 €6.24

57.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.72

$7.88 €6.89

68.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.38 €1.21

61.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$2.39 €2.09

24.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.76 CHF 6.27

$3.01 €2.63

157.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 CHF 100

$29.35 €25.68

322.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 CHF 5.32

$4.36 €3.82

50.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$2.13 €1.86

99.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.1

$29.60 €25.90

167.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$1.82 €1.59

24.73%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$37.9K €33.1K

8.75%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$32.4K €28.3K

23.57%

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

$260 CHF 210

$189 €165

37.69%

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

$35.31 CHF 28.55

$22.29 €19.50

58.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 42.19

$37.16 €32.51

40.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 CHF 70.3

$58.0 €50.8

49.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 CHF 45.04

$20.66 €18.08

169.65%

Cinema Ticket

$24.42 CHF 19.74

$10.87 €9.51

124.66%

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

$2,732 CHF 2,209

$706 €618

286.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

$14.9K €13.0K

160.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$89.4 €78.3

62.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CHF 53.3

$36.60 €32.02

80.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$104 €91.0

40.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$119 €104

65.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 CHF 1,521

$1,579 €1,381

19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,479

$1,238 €1,083

47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 CHF 2,169

$2,712 €2,373

-1.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,936 CHF 2,373

$2,039 €1,784

43.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

$7,527 €6,585

109.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$5,239 €4,584

141.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,977 CHF 3,215

$2,364 €2,068

68.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

3.39

-26.25%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Dubendorf and $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 68% 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: $145 in Dubendorf vs $70.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $670 vs $320 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

Dubendorf vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubendorf and Barcelona differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($3,866 vs $2,320 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 68% higher in Dubendorf, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,882 in Dubendorf versus $1,579 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,732 in Dubendorf versus $706 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Dubendorf. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,320 in Barcelona versus $3,866 in Dubendorf, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Dubendorf. 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, Dubendorf and Barcelona 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 67% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.