Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,469 per month in Altstätten vs $4,140 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,252 per month in Altstätten vs $6,255 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,035 per month in Altstätten vs $8,371 in Geneva, rent included.

Altstätten is about 16% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Altstätten and Geneva sit above the global median – Altstätten by 153%, Geneva by 202%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.90 CHF 24.71

$31.30 CHF 25.03

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.5

$136 CHF 109

-8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.47 CHF 14.77

$18.77 CHF 15.00

-1.60%

Cappuccino

$6.34 CHF 5.07

$6.60 CHF 5.28

-3.94%

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

$5.45 CHF 4.36

$5.10 CHF 4.07

6.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CHF 4.06

$4.36 CHF 3.48

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 CHF 6.73

$9.92 CHF 7.93

-15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CHF 5.83

$9.37 CHF 7.49

-22.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.75

$2.27 CHF 1.81

-3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 CHF 2.82

$3.02 CHF 2.41

16.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 CHF 2.79

$3.27 CHF 2.61

6.42%

Eggs

$7.77 CHF 6.21

$7.50 CHF 6.00

3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.91 CHF 20.72

$25.22 CHF 20.16

2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.64 CHF 22.10

$29.46 CHF 23.55

-6.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.01 CHF 33.59

$43.73 CHF 34.97

-3.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.79

$3.51 CHF 2.81

-0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.65

$1.76 CHF 1.41

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.15

$2.67 CHF 2.13

0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 CHF 3.78

$4.94 CHF 3.95

-4.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CHF 1.51

$1.59 CHF 1.28

18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.67

$2.08 CHF 1.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CHF 1.82

$2.20 CHF 1.76

3.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.05

$1.62 CHF 1.30

-19.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.26 CHF 9.01

$11.22 CHF 8.97

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.61

$12.47 CHF 9.97

6.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.20

$3.29 CHF 2.63

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CHF 2.46

$3.48 CHF 2.78

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 CHF 3.47

$3.74 CHF 2.99

16.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 82.1

$93.2 CHF 74.6

10.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 CHF 6.10

$7.71 CHF 6.16

-1.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.76

$4.05 CHF 3.24

16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 CHF 65.3

$63.8 CHF 51.0

27.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.74

$2.35 CHF 1.88

-7.23%

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

$44.0K CHF 35.2K

$39.5K CHF 31.6K

11.37%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.9K

$39.7K CHF 31.8K

0.32%

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

$289 CHF 231

$292 CHF 234

-1.13%

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

$32.77 CHF 26.21

$37.73 CHF 30.17

-13.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CHF 45.42

$57.9 CHF 46.31

-1.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.9 CHF 76.7

$78.0 CHF 62.4

22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.86 CHF 36.67

$46.95 CHF 37.54

-2.32%

Cinema Ticket

$23.83 CHF 19.05

$24.79 CHF 19.82

-3.87%

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

$2,685 CHF 2,147

$2,451 CHF 1,960

9.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.1K CHF 26.5K

$37.1K CHF 29.7K

-10.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 117

$138 CHF 110

6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.99

$82.0 CHF 65.6

-23.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 CHF 134

$169 CHF 135

-0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 153

$189 CHF 151

1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 CHF 1,413

$2,873 CHF 2,297

-38.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 CHF 1,170

$2,115 CHF 1,691

-30.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 CHF 2,289

$4,750 CHF 3,798

-39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 CHF 2,012

$3,725 CHF 2,979

-32.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.3K

$22.6K CHF 18.0K

-26.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,870

$16.0K CHF 12.8K

-22.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,368 CHF 5,892

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

1.98

6.06%

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

Last update for Altstätten: August 16, 2026

Last update for Geneva: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,767 in Altstätten versus $2,873 in Geneva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Altstätten versus $136 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $589 vs $599 – making Altstätten the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Altstätten vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,204 per month in Altstätten and $6,209 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Altstätten, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,469 in Altstätten and $4,140 in Geneva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,469 in Altstätten and $4,140 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Altstätten. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.