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: $3,974 in Dubendorf versus $2,367 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,958 in Dubendorf versus $3,465 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,942 in Dubendorf versus $4,563 in Barcelona.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 68% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 197% above, Barcelona 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.79 CHF 24.27

$17.58 €15.12

75.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 119

$68.4 €58.9

119.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.42 CHF 14.52

$14.06 €12.09

31.01%

Cappuccino

$6.38 CHF 5.03

$2.78 €2.39

129.50%

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

$5.85 CHF 4.61

$2.80 €2.41

108.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.25

$2.06 €1.78

162.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 CHF 5.85

$4.46 €3.84

66.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 CHF 5.51

$4.61 €3.96

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.24 €1.07

73.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$2.03 €1.74

60.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.22

$1.92 €1.65

112.50%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.72

$3.31 €2.85

119.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.29 CHF 23.09

$18.43 €15.85

58.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.91 CHF 25.16

$9.49 €8.16

236.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.09 CHF 38.70

$19.16 €16.48

156.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.50

$2.64 €2.27

20.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.21

$2.45 €2.11

14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.43

$2.12 €1.82

45.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 CHF 5.59

$2.85 €2.45

148.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.19

$2.04 €1.75

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$1.85 €1.59

22.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$1.47 €1.26

73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.37

$0.84 €0.73

105.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.68

$7.14 €6.14

54.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 CHF 12.22

$7.88 €6.78

96.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$1.38 €1.19

62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 CHF 2.32

$2.31 €1.99

27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.71 CHF 6.08

$2.98 €2.56

158.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 CHF 97.1

$29.26 €25.17

321.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.42

$4.60 €3.95

49.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.35

$2.07 €1.78

105.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.7 CHF 62.9

$29.18 €25.10

173.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.82

$1.84 €1.58

25.54%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.2K

$39.0K €33.6K

1.53%

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

$40.2K CHF 31.7K

$32.7K €28.1K

22.89%

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

$260 CHF 205

$188 €162

38.68%

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

$35.53 CHF 28.02

$22.93 €19.73

54.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 CHF 41.56

$36.71 €31.58

43.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 CHF 68.9

$57.4 €49.35

52.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.8 CHF 43.96

$20.70 €17.80

169.32%

Cinema Ticket

$25.12 CHF 19.80

$11.19 €9.63

124.49%

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

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$721 €620

272.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

$15.0K €12.9K

163.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 116

$86.2 €74.2

70.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 CHF 50.8

$37.07 €31.89

73.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 116

$102 €87.8

44.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

$116 €99.7

74.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CHF 1,462

$1,534 €1,319

20.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,467

$1,220 €1,050

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 CHF 2,114

$2,696 €2,319

-0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 CHF 2,299

$2,013 €1,732

44.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

$7,220 €6,211

94.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 7,885

$5,189 €4,463

92.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 CHF 3,208

$2,359 €2,029

72.46%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,855 in Dubendorf and $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 72% 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: $150 in Dubendorf vs $68.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $667 vs $318 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 68% in total monthly costs ($3,974 vs $2,367 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dubendorf pays 72% more on average, 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: $1,855 in Dubendorf versus $1,534 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,686 in Dubendorf versus $721 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.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barcelona is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 68% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.