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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,464 per month in Altstätten vs $4,110 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,384 per month in Altstätten vs $6,453 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,305 per month in Altstätten vs $8,795 in Geneva, rent included.

Altstätten is about 16% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Altstätten and Geneva sit above the global median – Altstätten by 159%, Geneva by 207%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.40 CHF 24.84

$37.47 CHF 29.64

-16.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 112

$149 CHF 118

-5.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 14.91

$18.30 CHF 14.47

3.01%

Cappuccino

$5.95 CHF 4.71

$6.04 CHF 4.78

-1.49%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.26

$5.43 CHF 4.30

-0.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.87

$4.77 CHF 3.77

2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 CHF 6.46

$9.82 CHF 7.77

-16.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.80

$8.57 CHF 6.78

-14.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-2.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$3.77 CHF 2.99

-4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.31

$4.31 CHF 3.41

-2.78%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.03

$7.68 CHF 6.08

-0.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 22.53

$27.00 CHF 21.35

5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.38 CHF 26.40

$33.58 CHF 26.56

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.18 CHF 37.32

$52.5 CHF 41.53

-10.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.87

$3.54 CHF 2.80

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-7.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.26

$3.06 CHF 2.42

-6.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.85

$6.46 CHF 5.11

-4.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$2.60 CHF 2.06

-2.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$2.37 CHF 1.87

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.05

$2.59 CHF 2.05

0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$1.32 CHF 1.05

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.75

$11.01 CHF 8.71

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 11.00

$12.78 CHF 10.11

8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$3.34 CHF 2.64

-30.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.63

$3.75 CHF 2.97

-11.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 CHF 3.14

$3.61 CHF 2.86

9.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 78.5

$84.7 CHF 67.0

17.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.07

$7.49 CHF 5.92

2.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.37

$3.65 CHF 2.88

16.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 63.2

$64.2 CHF 50.8

24.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.68

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-3.20%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

$39.7K CHF 31.4K

2.74%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

$50.2K CHF 39.7K

-16.64%

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

$258 CHF 204

$259 CHF 205

-0.44%

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

$49.33 CHF 39.02

$49.41 CHF 39.08

-0.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.25

$62.8 CHF 49.69

-4.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 69.6

$82.1 CHF 64.9

7.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 CHF 28.88

Cinema Ticket

$23.00 CHF 18.19

$24.98 CHF 19.76

-7.93%

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

$2,879 CHF 2,277

$3,424 CHF 2,708

-15.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

1.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 108

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CHF 53.3

$80.9 CHF 64.0

-16.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$166 CHF 131

-9.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$210 CHF 166

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 CHF 1,361

$2,357 CHF 1,865

-27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 CHF 1,151

$1,999 CHF 1,581

-27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 CHF 2,254

$4,802 CHF 3,798

-40.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 1,958

$3,866 CHF 3,058

-35.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

$23.0K CHF 18.2K

-33.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,450

$17.6K CHF 13.9K

-32.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,748 CHF 6,128

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.46

1.63%

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

Last update for Altstätten: April 26, 2026

Last update for Geneva: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,721 in Altstätten versus $2,357 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 $141 in Altstätten versus $149 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 vs $680 – 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 Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,196 per month in Altstätten and $6,165 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 $3,464 in Altstätten and $4,110 in Geneva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $3,464 in Altstätten and $4,110 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.