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: $3,430 in Bern versus $4,058 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,248 in Bern versus $5,760 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,066 in Bern versus $7,462 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 156% above, Montreux 203% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.70 CHF 21.92

$30.25 CHF 23.93

-8.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 84.8

$149 CHF 118

-28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.47 CHF 13.82

$18.89 CHF 14.95

-7.52%

Cappuccino

$5.86 CHF 4.64

$6.02 CHF 4.76

-2.66%

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

$4.83 CHF 3.82

$5.59 CHF 4.42

-13.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 CHF 3.67

$4.75 CHF 3.76

-2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 CHF 6.63

$9.61 CHF 7.60

-12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 4.95

$8.67 CHF 6.86

-27.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.59

$3.80 CHF 3.01

-13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.28

$4.41 CHF 3.49

-5.90%

Eggs

$7.10 CHF 5.62

$7.04 CHF 5.57

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.95 CHF 22.11

$29.06 CHF 22.99

-3.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.50 CHF 28.08

$28.44 CHF 22.50

24.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.05 CHF 32.47

$43.85 CHF 34.69

-6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.81

$4.01 CHF 3.17

-11.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$2.16 CHF 1.71

1.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.16

$2.89 CHF 2.29

-5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.53

$6.40 CHF 5.07

9.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$3.17 CHF 2.51

-29.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.43 CHF 1.92

-11.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-3.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.91

$1.57 CHF 1.25

-27.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 9.01

$10.89 CHF 8.62

4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CHF 10.13

$14.17 CHF 11.21

-9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CHF 1.55

$2.03 CHF 1.60

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$3.04 CHF 2.40

-22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 CHF 2.84

$4.03 CHF 3.19

-10.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 78.3

$89.5 CHF 70.8

10.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.22

$8.08 CHF 6.39

-2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.47 CHF 3.53

$4.12 CHF 3.26

8.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.9 CHF 71.9

$66.7 CHF 52.8

36.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-5.31%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.1K

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

1.88%

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

$56.6K CHF 44.8K

$42.0K CHF 33.2K

34.96%

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

$367 CHF 290

$308 CHF 244

19.02%

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

$59.9 CHF 47.39

$50.1 CHF 39.59

19.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CHF 46.67

$58.1 CHF 45.97

1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.5 CHF 65.3

$80.5 CHF 63.6

2.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.41 CHF 37.51

$36.99 CHF 29.26

28.17%

Cinema Ticket

$24.55 CHF 19.42

$22.58 CHF 17.87

8.72%

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

$3,417 CHF 2,703

$2,617 CHF 2,071

30.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

17.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 118

$109 CHF 86.3

36.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 CHF 53.7

$68.6 CHF 54.3

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 CHF 140

$176 CHF 139

0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 147

$184 CHF 146

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 CHF 1,466

$2,177 CHF 1,723

-14.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 CHF 1,000

$2,006 CHF 1,587

-37.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,301 CHF 2,612

$3,327 CHF 2,632

-0.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,367 CHF 1,872

$2,749 CHF 2,175

-13.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 12.9K

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

-2.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.8K CHF 10.2K

$8,808 CHF 6,968

45.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,193 CHF 5,690

$8,425 CHF 6,665

-14.63%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreux: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,853 in Bern and $2,177 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 17% 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: $107 in Bern vs $149 in Montreux. Groceries flip the comparison at $636 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 18% 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, Montreux earns 17% less. 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: $1,853 in Bern versus $2,177 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 $107 versus $149 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,430 per month in Bern versus $4,058 in Montreux – a 18% 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 $3,430 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 18% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.