Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapperswil and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Barcelona: $2,453 a month against $3,330 in Rapperswil, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Rapperswil, Switzerland
Barcelona, Spain
Rapperswil
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,330
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rapperswil and in Barcelona

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,330 in Rapperswil versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Rapperswil $3,330
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,029 in Rapperswil versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Rapperswil $5,029
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,729 in Rapperswil versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Rapperswil $6,729
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Rapperswil is roughly 36% more expensive than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rapperswil 145% above, Barcelona 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.80 CHF 19.74
$17.59 €15.80
35.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.5 CHF 79.3
$67.5 €60.6
41.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.02 CHF 13.29
$13.53 €12.15
18.40%
Cappuccino
$6.08 CHF 5.04
$3.19 €2.87
90.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.70 CHF 3.90
$2.91 €2.62
61.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 CHF 4.00
$1.89 €1.70
155.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.65 CHF 7.17
$4.01 €3.60
115.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.00 CHF 4.98
$4.53 €4.07
32.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 CHF 1.78
$1.31 €1.17
63.36%
White Bread (500g)
$3.39 CHF 2.81
$2.02 €1.81
67.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.35 CHF 3.61
$1.85 €1.66
135.14%
Eggs
$7.80 CHF 6.47
$4.83 €4.34
61.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.76 CHF 22.20
$16.74 €15.03
59.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$26.19 CHF 21.73
$9.12 €8.19
187.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.71 CHF 33.77
$19.64 €17.64
107.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 CHF 2.99
$2.98 €2.68
20.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 CHF 1.79
$2.02 €1.81
6.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 CHF 2.17
$2.70 €2.43
-2.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 CHF 3.99
$2.80 €2.52
71.79%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 CHF 1.69
$2.09 €1.87
-2.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 CHF 1.82
$2.07 €1.86
5.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 CHF 1.92
$1.46 €1.31
58.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 CHF 1.14
$0.94 €0.84
45.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.74 CHF 8.91
$6.87 €6.17
56.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.18 CHF 10.94
$7.89 €7.08
67.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 CHF 1.87
$1.41 €1.26
59.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 CHF 2.86
$2.54 €2.28
35.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.37 CHF 3.62
$3.14 €2.82
39.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$100.0 CHF 82.9
$25.45 €22.86
292.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.56 CHF 6.27
$2.99 €2.69
152.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.97 CHF 4.13
$1.49 €1.34
233.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$88.3 CHF 73.3
$33.37 €29.98
164.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 CHF 1.80
$1.80 €1.61
20.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K CHF 32.8K
$33.2K €29.8K
19.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K CHF 32.3K
$31.7K €28.5K
22.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$237 CHF 196
$180 €162
31.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.70 CHF 26.30
$13.84 €12.43
129.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.1 CHF 54.0
$33.70 €30.27
93.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$88.7 CHF 73.6
$51.5 €46.27
72.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.22 CHF 37.52
$15.96 €14.34
183.33%
Cinema Ticket
$21.76 CHF 18.05
$10.99 €9.88
98.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,879 CHF 2,389
$917 €823
214.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$43.7K CHF 36.3K
$16.5K €14.8K
165.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$141 CHF 117
$87.0 €78.2
61.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$88.1 CHF 73.0
$38.51 €34.59
128.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$149 CHF 124
$106 €95.1
40.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$174 CHF 144
$120 €108
45.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,769 CHF 1,468
$1,699 €1,527
4.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,478 CHF 1,226
$1,355 €1,217
9.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,984 CHF 2,475
$2,603 €2,338
14.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,524 CHF 2,094
$2,062 €1,853
22.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.6K CHF 13.7K
$6,915 €6,211
139.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.6K CHF 10.5K
$5,128 €4,606
146.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rapperswil
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$2,211 €1,986
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.72
3.28
-47.56%

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

Last update for Rapperswil: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rapperswil
$1.5K
Barcelona
$1.4K 8.3% $123
Groceries & Markets
Rapperswil
$583
Barcelona
$322 44.8% $262
Eating Out
Rapperswil
$405
Barcelona
$268 33.8% $137
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rapperswil
$333
Barcelona
$228 31.6% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Rapperswil
$248
Barcelona
$158 36.4% $90
Getting Around
Rapperswil
$150
Barcelona
$48 67.7% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Rapperswil
$132
Barcelona
$74 44.4% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,769 in Rapperswil and $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $96 in Rapperswil vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $583 vs $322 per month, with Barcelona cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Rapperswil
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
15:03 3:03 PM
15:03 3:03 PM
Same time as Rapperswil
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,354
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.923 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rapperswil Barcelona 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Rapperswil
  • Barcelona

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
Rapperswil vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rapperswil and in Barcelona?
Rapperswil and Barcelona differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($3,330 vs $2,453 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 Rapperswil compared to Barcelona?
You’d need roughly $4,995 in Rapperswil and $3,679 in Barcelona 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 Rapperswil and in Barcelona?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,769 in Rapperswil versus $1,699 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Rapperswil and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $2,879 in Rapperswil versus $917 in Barcelona. 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 81% higher in Rapperswil. 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 $2,453 in Barcelona versus $3,330 in Rapperswil, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in Rapperswil. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Rapperswil and Barcelona?
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 Rapperswil or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Rapperswil 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.
Where should expats move: Rapperswil or Barcelona?
Expats usually find Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Rapperswil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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