Cost of Living Comparison Between Bern and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Bern and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,477 in Bern versus $4,824 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,394 in Bern versus $7,348 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,311 in Bern versus $9,872 in George Town.

Living in Bern costs roughly 28% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bern 153% above, George Town 251% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.98 CHF 23.40

$29.84 KYD 24.47

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 102

$115 KYD 94.6

9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.17 CHF 13.06

$16.54 KYD 13.57

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$7.01 CHF 5.66

$7.07 KYD 5.80

-0.85%

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

$6.23 CHF 5.03

$3.05 KYD 2.50

104.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 CHF 5.68

$2.79 KYD 2.28

152.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.48 CHF 7.65

$7.27 KYD 5.96

30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 CHF 6.61

$9.69 KYD 7.94

-15.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$4.64 KYD 3.80

-51.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 CHF 2.40

$4.33 KYD 3.55

-31.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$4.39 KYD 3.60

-25.97%

Eggs

$8.08 CHF 6.52

$7.46 KYD 6.12

8.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.49 CHF 19.78

$55.0 KYD 45.06

-55.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.84 CHF 24.09

$19.25 KYD 15.79

55.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.30 CHF 32.54

$19.72 KYD 16.17

104.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.19

$7.41 KYD 6.08

-46.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.64

$3.68 KYD 3.02

-44.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.25

$6.09 KYD 4.99

-54.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.89

$7.88 KYD 6.46

-38.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$4.14 KYD 3.39

-58.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.69

$3.98 KYD 3.26

-47.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$3.19 KYD 2.62

-28.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.08

$2.17 KYD 1.78

-38.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 CHF 9.39

$14.43 KYD 11.83

-19.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 CHF 10.11

$25.24 KYD 20.69

-50.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$4.14 KYD 3.40

-43.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CHF 2.49

$5.68 KYD 4.66

-45.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.37 CHF 5.14

$2.33 KYD 1.91

173.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 81.6

$81.6 KYD 66.9

23.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 CHF 6.72

$18.57 KYD 15.23

-55.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.81

$3.89 KYD 3.19

21.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$110 CHF 88.5

$44.79 KYD 36.73

144.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$1.64 KYD 1.35

38.41%

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

$43.9K CHF 35.4K

$42.5K KYD 34.8K

3.40%

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

$39.4K CHF 31.8K

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

-6.82%

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

$279 CHF 225

$458 KYD 376

-39.20%

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

$28.97 CHF 23.39

$120 KYD 98.5

-75.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 CHF 44.67

$115 KYD 94.1

-51.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.1 CHF 74.4

$219 KYD 179

-57.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.53 CHF 38.38

$35.38 KYD 29.01

34.34%

Cinema Ticket

$25.08 CHF 20.25

$18.45 KYD 15.13

35.93%

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

$3,158 CHF 2,550

$1,832 KYD 1,502

72.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

$26.5K KYD 21.7K

20.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 118

$84.9 KYD 69.6

72.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 CHF 51.3

$73.9 KYD 60.6

-14.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 CHF 129

$137 KYD 112

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$143 KYD 117

38.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 CHF 1,526

$2,909 KYD 2,385

-35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,433 CHF 1,157

$2,443 KYD 2,003

-41.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,564 CHF 2,878

$5,779 KYD 4,739

-38.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,539 CHF 2,050

$4,770 KYD 3,911

-46.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K CHF 15.5K

$8,648 KYD 7,092

121.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.4K CHF 12.4K

$2,307 KYD 1,892

566.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,921 CHF 5,588

$7,390 KYD 6,060

-6.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

-69.25%

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

Last update for Bern: September 1, 2026

Last update for George Town: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,890 in Bern and $2,909 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 7% 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: $126 in Bern vs $115 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $586 vs $722, with Bern cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bern vs George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bern wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in George Town. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bern the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in George Town. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,890 in Bern versus $2,909 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bern – a meal for two runs $126 versus $115 in George Town. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,477 per month in Bern versus $4,824 in George Town – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bern is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bern delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,477 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bern hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bern and George Town 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 Bern gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.