Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Buchs Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Buchs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,215 in Geneva versus $3,379 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,620 in Geneva versus $5,057 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,024 in Geneva versus $6,734 in Buchs.

Living in Geneva is roughly 25% more expensive than in Buchs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Geneva 216% above, Buchs 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.08 CHF 30.19

$29.39 CHF 23.93

26.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 122

$131 CHF 106

14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.74 CHF 15.26

$11.89 CHF 9.68

57.61%

Cappuccino

$5.89 CHF 4.80

$3.57 CHF 2.91

64.99%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.41

$2.52 CHF 2.05

115.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 CHF 3.98

$2.09 CHF 1.70

133.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.09 CHF 8.21

$4.50 CHF 3.66

124.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 CHF 7.16

$5.23 CHF 4.26

68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.75 CHF 1.42

26.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 CHF 3.10

$3.03 CHF 2.47

25.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 CHF 3.58

$4.22 CHF 3.43

4.27%

Eggs

$7.60 CHF 6.19

$5.07 CHF 4.12

49.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.21 CHF 22.16

$30.56 CHF 24.88

-10.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.60 CHF 26.54

$14.87 CHF 12.11

119.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.0 CHF 43.16

$50.6 CHF 41.17

4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 CHF 2.77

$3.80 CHF 3.10

-10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.99

$2.04 CHF 1.66

19.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.45

$2.85 CHF 2.32

5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 CHF 5.26

$6.46 CHF 5.26

0.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.07

$2.39 CHF 1.94

6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.39 CHF 1.94

-1.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.68 CHF 2.18

-7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.07

$1.28 CHF 1.04

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.90

$11.24 CHF 9.15

-2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CHF 10.01

$12.88 CHF 10.48

-4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.67

$2.39 CHF 1.94

37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.96

$3.30 CHF 2.69

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 CHF 2.94

$2.50 CHF 2.04

44.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CHF 70.2

$87.1 CHF 70.9

-0.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 CHF 6.11

$7.93 CHF 6.46

-5.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.88

$3.55 CHF 2.89

-0.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.3 CHF 52.3

$89.5 CHF 72.8

-28.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.12 CHF 1.73

4.25%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

$31.3K CHF 25.5K

30.22%

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

$49.3K CHF 40.1K

$42.9K CHF 35.0K

14.82%

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

$257 CHF 209

$183 CHF 149

40.50%

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

$47.97 CHF 39.06

$43.01 CHF 35.02

11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.4

$55.7 CHF 45.32

15.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 CHF 66.2

$146 CHF 119

-44.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.03 CHF 29.33

$17.33 CHF 14.11

107.91%

Cinema Ticket

$24.23 CHF 19.73

$14.75 CHF 12.01

64.27%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,786

$2,961 CHF 2,411

15.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.5K CHF 27.3K

$32.9K CHF 26.8K

1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$141 CHF 115

-1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.7 CHF 64.9

$77.1 CHF 62.7

3.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 135

$133 CHF 109

24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 174

$159 CHF 129

34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 CHF 1,941

$1,850 CHF 1,506

28.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 CHF 1,645

$1,588 CHF 1,293

27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,642 CHF 3,779

$2,744 CHF 2,234

69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,834 CHF 3,121

$2,496 CHF 2,032

53.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.7K CHF 18.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,409 CHF 6,032

$8,815 CHF 7,177

-15.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

23.00%

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

Last update for Geneva: July 20, 2026

Last update for Buchs: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,383 in Geneva and $1,850 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $149 in Geneva vs $131 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $674 vs $560 per month, with Buchs cheaper across the board.

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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geneva and Buchs differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($4,215 vs $3,379 including rent). Buchs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Buchs. 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: $2,383 in Geneva versus $1,850 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Buchs – a meal for two runs $131 versus $149 in Geneva. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,215 per month in Geneva versus $3,379 in Buchs – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Buchs is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Geneva and Buchs 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 Buchs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Geneva. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.