Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Glarus Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Glarus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,202 per month in Geneva vs $3,391 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,374 per month in Geneva vs $5,074 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Geneva vs $6,758 in Glarus, rent included.

Geneva costs about 24% more than Glarus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Glarus sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Glarus by 146%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 25.19

$29.50 CHF 24.07

4.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 CHF 111

$123 CHF 100

10.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 15.38

$17.68 CHF 14.43

6.62%

Cappuccino

$6.65 CHF 5.43

$6.26 CHF 5.10

6.23%

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

$5.00 CHF 4.08

$3.82 CHF 3.12

30.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CHF 3.41

$3.88 CHF 3.16

7.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 8.18

$9.50 CHF 7.75

5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.77 CHF 7.97

$6.68 CHF 5.45

46.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.94

$2.16 CHF 1.76

10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 CHF 2.85

$3.19 CHF 2.61

9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.66

$2.93 CHF 2.39

11.26%

Eggs

$8.25 CHF 6.74

$8.00 CHF 6.53

3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.28 CHF 20.63

$8.67 CHF 7.08

191.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.09 CHF 24.56

$14.91 CHF 12.17

101.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.71 CHF 35.67

$38.85 CHF 31.70

12.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.93

$3.17 CHF 2.58

13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.37

$1.64 CHF 1.34

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.23

$2.45 CHF 2.00

11.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$5.63 CHF 4.59

-14.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 CHF 1.29

$1.78 CHF 1.45

-10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$2.11 CHF 1.72

0.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.39

$1.21 CHF 0.99

40.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 CHF 9.20

$11.06 CHF 9.02

1.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.95

$11.64 CHF 9.50

4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.67

$2.25 CHF 1.84

45.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CHF 2.92

$2.32 CHF 1.90

54.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$6.21 CHF 5.07

-40.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.8 CHF 74.1

$233 CHF 190

-61.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 CHF 6.39

$6.66 CHF 5.43

17.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.91 CHF 3.19

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-17.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.7 CHF 53.6

$78.9 CHF 64.4

-16.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.95

$2.12 CHF 1.73

12.26%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.9K

$35.4K CHF 28.9K

10.66%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.8K

$40.6K CHF 33.2K

-1.21%

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

$287 CHF 234

$326 CHF 266

-11.95%

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

$39.09 CHF 31.91

$39.21 CHF 32.00

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.39

$56.2 CHF 45.85

3.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 62.2

$167 CHF 137

-54.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.89 CHF 38.26

$43.64 CHF 35.61

7.45%

Cinema Ticket

$24.65 CHF 20.12

$25.58 CHF 20.88

-3.64%

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

$2,449 CHF 1,999

$2,379 CHF 1,941

2.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.8K CHF 30.0K

$32.9K CHF 26.9K

11.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$104 CHF 84.5

31.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.8 CHF 66.7

$44.00 CHF 35.91

85.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 CHF 138

$136 CHF 111

23.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 154

$98.9 CHF 80.7

90.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 CHF 2,320

$1,695 CHF 1,384

67.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 CHF 1,749

$1,403 CHF 1,145

52.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,690 CHF 3,827

$3,048 CHF 2,487

53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,651 CHF 2,979

$2,360 CHF 1,926

54.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 13.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,229 CHF 5,900

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Glarus: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,843 in Geneva versus $1,695 in Glarus. 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 $123 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $611 vs $450 – making Glarus 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 Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,303 per month in Geneva and $5,086 in Glarus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 36% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $136 in Geneva and $123 in Glarus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,202 in Geneva and $3,391 in Glarus. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Glarus – 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 Glarus. 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.