Cost of Living Comparison Between Eschen and Balzers Cost of Living Comparison Between Eschen and Balzers

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $966 in Eschen versus $3,293 in Balzers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,574 in Eschen versus $5,044 in Balzers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,182 in Eschen versus $6,795 in Balzers.

Living in Eschen costs roughly 71% less than in Balzers, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Eschen is 28% below, Balzers is 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.54 CHF 24.08

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 97.4

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$22.09 CHF 17.41

Cappuccino

$5.64 CHF 4.45

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

$6.20 CHF 4.89

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 CHF 4.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 CHF 5.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.86

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CHF 2.11

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CHF 2.45

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

Eggs

$11.92 CHF 9.40

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.58 CHF 20.16

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.63 CHF 18.63

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.86

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.68

Banana (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.00

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CHF 3.14

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.45 CHF 9.81

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 CHF 11.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CHF 1.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CHF 1.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 CHF 2.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 CHF 66.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 CHF 1.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.60 CHF 6.78

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

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

$34.5K CHF 27.2K

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

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

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

$217 CHF 171

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

$39.34 CHF 31.02

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 CHF 58.7

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.7 CHF 74.7

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.35 CHF 19.20

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.10

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

$313 CHF 247

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,918 CHF 7,031

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$129 CHF 102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 CHF 41.06

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 CHF 140

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$225 CHF 177

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 CHF 983

$1,005 CHF 792

24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 CHF 769

$1,335 CHF 1,052

-26.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 CHF 2,022

$2,931 CHF 2,311

-12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 CHF 1,716

$2,370 CHF 1,869

-8.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K CHF 13.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,368 CHF 4,232

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,758 CHF 6,905

$9,082 CHF 7,161

-3.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.55

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

Last update for Eschen: June 1, 2026

Last update for Balzers: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,247 in Eschen and $1,005 in Balzers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balzers pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Eschen vs Balzers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eschen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 241% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Balzers earns 4% 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: $1,247 in Eschen versus $1,005 in Balzers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $966 in Eschen versus $3,293 in Balzers, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Eschen but tight or insufficient in Balzers. The gap between the two cities makes Eschen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Eschen and Balzers 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 Eschen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 241% less than in Balzers. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.