Cost of Living Comparison Between Bern and Montreux Cost of Living Comparison Between Bern and Montreux

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,409 in Bern versus $3,993 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,182 in Bern versus $5,756 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,955 in Bern versus $7,519 in Montreux.

Living in Bern costs roughly 15% less than in Montreux, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bern 155% above, Montreux 199% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.49 CHF 23.03

$30.86 CHF 24.95

-7.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 87.2

$148 CHF 120

-27.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.15 CHF 13.86

$18.76 CHF 15.17

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.65

$6.09 CHF 4.92

-5.58%

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

$4.76 CHF 3.85

$5.51 CHF 4.45

-13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.86

$4.90 CHF 3.97

-2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.61

$10.00 CHF 8.08

-18.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CHF 5.02

$8.49 CHF 6.86

-26.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.26 CHF 1.82

-1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 CHF 2.69

$3.86 CHF 3.12

-13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.45

$4.39 CHF 3.55

-2.96%

Eggs

$7.09 CHF 5.73

$7.29 CHF 5.90

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.67 CHF 23.18

$28.22 CHF 22.81

1.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.86 CHF 28.99

$28.54 CHF 23.07

25.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.00 CHF 33.15

$43.93 CHF 35.52

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 CHF 2.73

$4.02 CHF 3.25

-15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.16 CHF 1.75

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 CHF 2.23

$2.91 CHF 2.35

-5.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.87 CHF 5.55

$6.64 CHF 5.37

3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$3.15 CHF 2.55

-31.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.73

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.53 CHF 2.05

-3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.57 CHF 1.27

-26.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.52 CHF 9.32

$11.06 CHF 8.94

4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.86

$13.75 CHF 11.11

-11.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CHF 1.59

$2.04 CHF 1.65

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$3.11 CHF 2.52

-26.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 CHF 3.03

$4.15 CHF 3.36

-9.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 CHF 79.6

$91.3 CHF 73.8

7.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 CHF 6.50

$7.97 CHF 6.44

0.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.44 CHF 3.59

$4.13 CHF 3.34

7.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.5 CHF 74.0

$66.8 CHF 54.0

37.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.79

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-0.89%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.2K

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

1.65%

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

$58.3K CHF 47.1K

$41.1K CHF 33.2K

41.92%

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

$367 CHF 297

$298 CHF 241

23.32%

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

$58.3 CHF 47.15

$50.9 CHF 41.14

14.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 46.95

$57.7 CHF 46.64

0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.1 CHF 65.6

$80.5 CHF 65.1

0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.39 CHF 37.51

$37.31 CHF 30.16

24.34%

Cinema Ticket

$24.71 CHF 19.98

$22.78 CHF 18.42

8.47%

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

$3,315 CHF 2,680

$2,625 CHF 2,122

26.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

$34.5K CHF 27.9K

16.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 CHF 125

$110 CHF 89.1

39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 CHF 55.9

$70.7 CHF 57.2

-2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 CHF 141

$177 CHF 143

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 153

$184 CHF 148

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,513

$2,182 CHF 1,764

-14.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CHF 1,038

$1,999 CHF 1,616

-35.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,197 CHF 2,585

$3,322 CHF 2,686

-3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,412 CHF 1,950

$2,802 CHF 2,265

-13.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.2K CHF 15.5K

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

18.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.4K CHF 12.4K

$12.2K CHF 9,901

25.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,080 CHF 5,725

$7,997 CHF 6,466

-11.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.52

2.5

0.80%

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

Last update for Bern: July 14, 2026

Last update for Montreux: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,871 in Bern and $2,182 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 13% 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: $108 in Bern vs $148 in Montreux. Groceries flip the comparison at $638 vs $632, with Montreux 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 Montreux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bern wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Montreux. 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 13% lower in Montreux. 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: $1,871 in Bern versus $2,182 in Montreux. 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 $108 versus $148 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,409 per month in Bern versus $3,993 in Montreux – a 17% 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 $3,409 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bern hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bern and Montreux 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 17% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.