Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Altstätten Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Altstätten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,140 per month in Geneva vs $3,469 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,255 per month in Geneva vs $5,252 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,371 per month in Geneva vs $7,035 in Altstätten, rent included.

Geneva costs about 19% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Geneva and Altstätten sit above the global median – Geneva by 202%, Altstätten by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 25.03

$30.90 CHF 24.71

1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 CHF 109

$124 CHF 99.5

9.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.77 CHF 15.00

$18.47 CHF 14.77

1.62%

Cappuccino

$6.60 CHF 5.28

$6.34 CHF 5.07

4.10%

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

$5.10 CHF 4.07

$5.45 CHF 4.36

-6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 CHF 3.48

$5.07 CHF 4.06

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.92 CHF 7.93

$8.42 CHF 6.73

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.37 CHF 7.49

$7.30 CHF 5.83

28.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.81

$2.19 CHF 1.75

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CHF 2.41

$3.53 CHF 2.82

-14.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CHF 2.61

$3.48 CHF 2.79

-6.03%

Eggs

$7.50 CHF 6.00

$7.77 CHF 6.21

-3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.22 CHF 20.16

$25.91 CHF 20.72

-2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.46 CHF 23.55

$27.64 CHF 22.10

6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.73 CHF 34.97

$42.01 CHF 33.59

4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CHF 2.81

$3.49 CHF 2.79

0.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.41

$2.07 CHF 1.65

-14.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.13

$2.68 CHF 2.15

-0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 CHF 3.95

$4.73 CHF 3.78

4.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 CHF 1.28

$1.89 CHF 1.51

-15.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.66

$2.08 CHF 1.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$2.27 CHF 1.82

-3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CHF 1.30

$1.31 CHF 1.05

23.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 8.97

$11.26 CHF 9.01

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 CHF 9.97

$13.26 CHF 10.61

-5.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$2.75 CHF 2.20

19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 CHF 2.78

$3.08 CHF 2.46

12.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 CHF 2.99

$4.34 CHF 3.47

-13.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.2 CHF 74.6

$103 CHF 82.1

-9.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 CHF 6.16

$7.62 CHF 6.10

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.05 CHF 3.24

$4.71 CHF 3.76

-14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.8 CHF 51.0

$81.6 CHF 65.3

-21.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.88

$2.18 CHF 1.74

7.80%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.6K

$44.0K CHF 35.2K

-10.21%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.8K

$39.8K CHF 31.9K

-0.32%

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

$292 CHF 234

$289 CHF 231

1.14%

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

$37.73 CHF 30.17

$32.77 CHF 26.21

15.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 46.31

$56.8 CHF 45.42

1.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 CHF 62.4

$95.9 CHF 76.7

-18.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.95 CHF 37.54

$45.86 CHF 36.67

2.38%

Cinema Ticket

$24.79 CHF 19.82

$23.83 CHF 19.05

4.03%

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

$2,451 CHF 1,960

$2,685 CHF 2,147

-8.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K CHF 29.7K

$33.1K CHF 26.5K

12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 110

$147 CHF 117

-6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.0 CHF 65.6

$62.5 CHF 49.99

31.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 CHF 135

$168 CHF 134

0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 151

$191 CHF 153

-1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,297

$1,767 CHF 1,413

62.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,115 CHF 1,691

$1,464 CHF 1,170

44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,750 CHF 3,798

$2,863 CHF 2,289

65.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,725 CHF 2,979

$2,517 CHF 2,012

48.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.6K CHF 18.0K

$16.6K CHF 13.3K

35.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 12.8K

$12.3K CHF 9,870

29.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,368 CHF 5,892

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

2.1

-5.71%

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

Last update for Geneva: August 18, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,873 in Geneva versus $1,767 in Altstätten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $136 in Geneva versus $124 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $599 vs $589 – making Altstätten 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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,209 per month in Geneva and $5,204 in Altstätten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,140 in Geneva and $3,469 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,140 in Geneva and $3,469 in Altstätten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Altstätten. 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.