Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Aarau Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Aarau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,189 per month in Geneva vs $3,015 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,605 per month in Geneva vs $4,757 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,021 per month in Geneva vs $6,499 in Aarau, rent included.

Geneva costs about 39% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Geneva and Aarau sit above the global median – Geneva by 214%, Aarau by 126%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.29 CHF 28.78

$29.94 CHF 23.75

21.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 117

$108 CHF 85.3

36.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.82 CHF 14.93

$19.24 CHF 15.26

-2.18%

Cappuccino

$5.94 CHF 4.71

$6.29 CHF 4.99

-5.56%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.27

$3.44 CHF 2.73

56.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CHF 3.91

$4.90 CHF 3.89

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.84 CHF 7.80

$8.24 CHF 6.54

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 CHF 6.76

$7.50 CHF 5.95

13.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.11 CHF 1.67

9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.05

$3.28 CHF 2.60

17.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$2.45 CHF 1.94

75.51%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.84

$6.88 CHF 5.46

7.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.12 CHF 21.51

$28.84 CHF 22.87

-5.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.99 CHF 26.16

$36.31 CHF 28.80

-9.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.9 CHF 41.18

$44.34 CHF 35.16

17.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.83

$2.79 CHF 2.21

27.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.02

$2.10 CHF 1.66

21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CHF 2.33

$2.75 CHF 2.18

6.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 CHF 4.94

$5.88 CHF 4.66

5.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.05

$2.26 CHF 1.79

14.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.93

$2.05 CHF 1.63

18.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.06

$2.62 CHF 2.08

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.04

$1.51 CHF 1.20

-12.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 8.90

$10.63 CHF 8.43

5.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.78

$10.63 CHF 8.43

15.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.65

$2.32 CHF 1.84

43.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CHF 2.84

$2.17 CHF 1.72

64.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 CHF 3.01

$4.20 CHF 3.33

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.9 CHF 68.9

$147 CHF 117

-41.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 CHF 5.95

$8.84 CHF 7.01

-15.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.62 CHF 2.87

$5.61 CHF 4.45

-35.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.0 CHF 50.7

$85.7 CHF 67.9

-25.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-0.45%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.7K

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

-2.94%

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

$49.4K CHF 39.2K

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

17.97%

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

$256 CHF 203

$244 CHF 194

5.03%

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

$49.48 CHF 39.24

$43.49 CHF 34.49

13.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 CHF 51.2

$58.7 CHF 46.58

9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 63.4

$65.9 CHF 52.3

21.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.05 CHF 29.39

$41.72 CHF 33.09

-11.19%

Cinema Ticket

$24.40 CHF 19.35

$23.80 CHF 18.88

2.52%

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

$3,507 CHF 2,781

$3,257 CHF 2,583

7.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K CHF 25.8K

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

31.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 110

$92.3 CHF 73.2

49.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.4 CHF 63.8

$53.6 CHF 42.52

50.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 CHF 127

$110 CHF 87.3

45.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$209 CHF 166

$174 CHF 138

19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 CHF 1,824

$1,269 CHF 1,006

81.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,076 CHF 1,647

$1,030 CHF 817

101.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,634 CHF 3,675

$2,448 CHF 1,941

89.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,818 CHF 3,028

$2,111 CHF 1,674

80.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.6K CHF 17.9K

$10.4K CHF 8,283

116.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.1K

$12.6K CHF 9,976

31.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,512 CHF 5,958

$7,163 CHF 5,681

4.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.5

-1.60%

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

Last update for Geneva: June 15, 2026

Last update for Aarau: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,300 in Geneva versus $1,269 in Aarau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Geneva, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Geneva versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $674 vs $636 – making Aarau 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

Geneva vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geneva costs about 39% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,284 per month in Geneva and $4,522 in Aarau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aarau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,507 per month in Geneva and $3,257 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,189 in Geneva and $3,015 in Aarau. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $3,015 versus $4,189 in Geneva. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Aarau. 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.