Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Fribourg Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Fribourg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,060 per month in Geneva vs $3,357 in Fribourg, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,383 per month in Geneva vs $4,992 in Fribourg, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,707 per month in Geneva vs $6,628 in Fribourg, rent included.

Geneva costs about 21% more than Fribourg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Fribourg sit above the global median – Geneva by 203%, Fribourg by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.68 CHF 29.71

$30.98 CHF 24.42

21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$122 CHF 96.5

22.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 CHF 14.69

$17.75 CHF 14.00

5.01%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$6.02 CHF 4.75

-0.83%

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

$5.49 CHF 4.33

$5.16 CHF 4.07

6.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$5.37 CHF 4.23

-8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.13 CHF 7.99

$6.96 CHF 5.49

45.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 6.73

$7.22 CHF 5.69

18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.06 CHF 1.62

9.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$3.35 CHF 2.64

15.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CHF 3.50

$3.36 CHF 2.65

32.14%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.00

$6.64 CHF 5.24

14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.53 CHF 20.92

$29.09 CHF 22.93

-8.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.26 CHF 26.22

$25.61 CHF 20.19

29.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.45

$37.53 CHF 29.59

40.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.75

$4.25 CHF 3.35

-17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$3.21 CHF 2.53

-21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.42

$2.96 CHF 2.34

3.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 4.93

$6.20 CHF 4.88

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.09

$2.09 CHF 1.65

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

$2.88 CHF 2.27

-10.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$1.60 CHF 1.26

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.59

$10.96 CHF 8.64

-0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 CHF 10.13

$10.85 CHF 8.55

18.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$3.93 CHF 3.10

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$4.84 CHF 3.82

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.83

$3.67 CHF 2.90

-1.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CHF 67.4

$87.1 CHF 68.7

-1.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.94

$7.78 CHF 6.14

-3.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$3.52 CHF 2.77

3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.7

$74.6 CHF 58.8

-12.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.20 CHF 1.73

1.36%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

-2.54%

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

$48.7K CHF 38.4K

$40.6K CHF 32.0K

20.03%

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

$262 CHF 207

$311 CHF 245

-15.65%

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

$47.82 CHF 37.70

$74.7 CHF 58.9

-35.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CHF 49.87

$53.3 CHF 42.00

18.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 CHF 62.7

$71.0 CHF 55.9

12.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.97 CHF 28.36

$45.30 CHF 35.72

-20.60%

Cinema Ticket

$24.48 CHF 19.30

$21.17 CHF 16.69

15.64%

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

$3,514 CHF 2,770

$1,813 CHF 1,429

93.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

$36.9K CHF 29.1K

-11.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$100 CHF 79.1

37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 64.4

$82.2 CHF 64.8

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 128

$153 CHF 121

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 169

$216 CHF 170

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 CHF 1,836

$1,616 CHF 1,274

44.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CHF 1,615

$1,300 CHF 1,025

57.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 CHF 3,651

$2,664 CHF 2,100

73.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,922 CHF 3,092

$2,083 CHF 1,642

88.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

$8,134 CHF 6,413

183.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$5,140 CHF 4,053

218.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,858 CHF 6,195

$7,283 CHF 5,742

7.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.63

-6.46%

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

Last update for Geneva: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fribourg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,329 in Geneva versus $1,616 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 8% 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 $150 in Geneva versus $122 in Fribourg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $598 – making Fribourg 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 Fribourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Geneva costs about 21% more than Fribourg, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,090 per month in Geneva and $5,036 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $3,514 per month in Geneva and $1,813 in Fribourg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,060 in Geneva and $3,357 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 $3,357 versus $4,060 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 Fribourg. 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.