Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Fribourg

For one person, living is cheaper in Fribourg: $3,530 a month against $4,172 in Geneva, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

200

Cost of Living Index in Geneva
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Geneva Living Index
168

Cost of Living Index in Fribourg
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Fribourg Living Index

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Geneva

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,172

/mo nomad

Fribourg

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Geneva and in Fribourg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Geneva and in Fribourg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,172 per month in Geneva vs $3,530 in Fribourg, rent included.

Geneva $4,172
Fribourg $3,530

A couple spends around $6,330 per month in Geneva vs $5,160 in Fribourg, rent included.

Geneva $6,330
Fribourg $5,160

A family of three spends $8,488 per month in Geneva vs $6,789 in Fribourg, rent included.

Geneva $8,488
Fribourg $6,789

Geneva costs about 18% more than Fribourg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Geneva and Fribourg sit above the global median – Geneva by 209%, Fribourg by 161%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.38 CHF 24.90

$29.96 CHF 24.55

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.0

$122 CHF 99.6

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.26 CHF 15.78

$16.11 CHF 13.20

19.55%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.30

$6.32 CHF 5.18

2.22%

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

$4.86 CHF 3.99

$5.17 CHF 4.24

-6.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CHF 3.42

$5.31 CHF 4.35

-21.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.95 CHF 8.15

$7.18 CHF 5.88

38.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 CHF 7.87

$6.83 CHF 5.60

40.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CHF 1.94

$2.25 CHF 1.84

5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 CHF 2.86

$3.29 CHF 2.70

6.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.69

$3.52 CHF 2.89

-6.82%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.48

$7.40 CHF 6.07

6.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.46

$24.30 CHF 19.91

2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.79 CHF 23.59

$25.33 CHF 20.76

13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.93 CHF 35.18

$37.26 CHF 30.53

15.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 CHF 2.85

$3.56 CHF 2.92

-2.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.35

$1.64 CHF 1.34

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 CHF 2.26

$2.58 CHF 2.12

6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 CHF 3.99

$4.59 CHF 3.76

6.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 CHF 1.29

$1.72 CHF 1.41

-8.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.82

$2.10 CHF 1.72

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 CHF 1.85

$2.25 CHF 1.84

0.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.39

$1.20 CHF 0.98

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.93

$10.96 CHF 8.98

-0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 CHF 9.87

$10.48 CHF 8.59

14.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.54

$3.62 CHF 2.96

-14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 CHF 2.71

$2.47 CHF 2.02

34.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.59 CHF 2.94

$3.64 CHF 2.98

-1.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.7 CHF 69.4

$86.2 CHF 70.6

-1.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.28

$12.31 CHF 10.08

-37.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.86 CHF 3.16

$4.90 CHF 4.01

-21.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.2 CHF 51.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 CHF 1.94

$2.30 CHF 1.89

3.04%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.6K

$39.3K CHF 32.2K

1.33%

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

$39.2K CHF 32.1K

$39.6K CHF 32.4K

-1.05%

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

$288 CHF 236

$343 CHF 281

-16.02%

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

$35.83 CHF 29.36

$42.40 CHF 34.75

-15.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CHF 48.01

$57.3 CHF 46.93

2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 64.4

$77.4 CHF 63.4

1.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.26 CHF 35.45

Cinema Ticket

$24.70 CHF 20.24

$21.17 CHF 17.35

16.67%

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

$2,568 CHF 2,104

$2,813 CHF 2,305

-8.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$100 CHF 82.3

35.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.1 CHF 64.9

$98.4 CHF 80.6

-19.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 135

$248 CHF 203

-33.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 153

$197 CHF 162

-5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,921 CHF 2,394

$1,809 CHF 1,482

61.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 CHF 1,802

$1,538 CHF 1,260

42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,223 CHF 4,280

$2,713 CHF 2,223

92.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,948 CHF 3,235

$2,313 CHF 1,895

70.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.9K

$13.8K CHF 11.3K

67.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

$10.4K CHF 8,496

55.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,394 CHF 6,059

$6,889 CHF 5,645

7.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

2.31

-14.29%

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

Last update for Geneva: November 2, 2026

Last update for Fribourg: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Geneva

$2.2K 52.7%

Fribourg

$1.5K 43.6% 30.1% $661

Groceries & Markets

Geneva

$598 14.4%

Fribourg

$548 15.5% 8.4% $50

Eating Out

Geneva

$484 11.6%

Fribourg

$455 12.9% 5.8% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Geneva

$382 9.2%

Fribourg

$442 12.5% 15.7% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Geneva

$255 6.1%

Fribourg

$290 8.2% 13.6% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Geneva

$128 3.1%

Fribourg

$120 3.4% 6.5% $8.4

Getting Around

Geneva

$126 3%

Fribourg

$138 3.9% 9.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,921 in Geneva versus $1,809 in Fribourg. 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 7% 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 $121 in Geneva versus $122 in Fribourg. Groceries tell a different story – $598 in Geneva vs $548 in Fribourg – so Fribourg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Geneva

🇨🇭 Fribourg

🕒 Local time

08:40 8:40 AM

Same time as Geneva

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

191,557

37,485

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.22 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

1 CHF = 1.22 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Geneva Fribourg 100 km

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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 Fribourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geneva costs about 18% more than Fribourg, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,257 per month in Geneva and $5,296 in Fribourg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fribourg, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,809 there versus $2,921 in Geneva.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,172 in Geneva and $3,530 in Fribourg. That makes Fribourg about 15% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Geneva, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,172 in Geneva and $3,530 in Fribourg. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fribourg costs $3,530 versus $4,172 in Geneva. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Fribourg. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.