Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,132 in Schaffhausen versus $2,337 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,926 in Schaffhausen versus $3,468 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,720 in Schaffhausen versus $4,599 in Barcelona.

Living in Schaffhausen is roughly 34% more expensive than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 133% above, Barcelona 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.29

$17.08 €14.80

77.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.4

$69.2 €60.0

79.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.65

$13.78 €11.95

14.80%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.33

$2.76 €2.39

96.38%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.28

$2.79 €2.42

92.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.49

$1.99 €1.73

119.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.36

$4.36 €3.78

82.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.88

$4.74 €4.11

55.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.57

$1.29 €1.12

51.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.01

$2.05 €1.78

83.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.88

$1.99 €1.72

81.41%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.29

$3.39 €2.94

132.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.54

$18.81 €16.31

56.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 28.01

$9.36 €8.12

274.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.39

$19.12 €16.57

170.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.94

$2.70 €2.34

36.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.86

$2.34 €2.03

-0.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

$2.12 €1.84

38.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.91

$2.85 €2.47

115.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$1.97 €1.71

22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$1.80 €1.56

38.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.05

$1.45 €1.26

76.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$0.86 €0.74

48.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.77

$6.78 €5.87

61.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.85

$7.90 €6.85

56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$1.39 €1.20

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$2.37 €2.06

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.18

$2.92 €2.53

36.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.7

$28.69 €24.86

204.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.11

$4.46 €3.86

127.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.11

$2.05 €1.78

89.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$29.55 €25.61

104.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$1.82 €1.57

21.43%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$38.8K €33.7K

3.78%

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

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

$33.1K €28.7K

28.76%

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

$247 CHF 197

$189 €164

30.42%

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

$28.92 CHF 23.11

$22.80 €19.76

26.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 35.11

$37.59 €32.58

16.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 87.2

$57.7 €50.1

88.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

$20.74 €17.98

129.56%

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 18.01

$10.82 €9.38

108.23%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,708

$728 €631

365.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

$14.8K €12.8K

187.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.1

$88.6 €76.8

25.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 53.1

$36.85 €31.94

80.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$102 €88.4

26.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 124

$116 €101

33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 972

$1,569 €1,360

-22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 977

$1,218 €1,056

0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,152

$2,795 €2,423

-3.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,756

$1,975 €1,712

11.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,706

$7,754 €6,720

8.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,410

$5,176 €4,486

30.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,463

$2,343 €2,031

298.43%

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 Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,216 in Schaffhausen and $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 298% 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: $124 in Schaffhausen vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $672 vs $319 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

Schaffhausen vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen and Barcelona differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($3,132 vs $2,337 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Schaffhausen pays 298% 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: $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $1,569 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,388 in Schaffhausen versus $728 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Schaffhausen. 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, Schaffhausen 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 34% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.