Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Lachen

For one person, living is cheaper in Lachen: $3,423 a month against $4,079 in Geneva, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Geneva outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

198

Cost of Living Index in Geneva
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Geneva Living Index
165

Cost of Living Index in Lachen
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Lachen Living Index

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Geneva

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,079

/mo nomad

Lachen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Geneva and in Lachen

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 Lachen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,079 per month in Geneva vs $3,423 in Lachen, rent included.

Geneva $4,079
Lachen $3,423

A couple spends around $6,308 per month in Geneva vs $5,210 in Lachen, rent included.

Geneva $6,308
Lachen $5,210

A family of three spends $8,538 per month in Geneva vs $6,997 in Lachen, rent included.

Geneva $8,538
Lachen $6,997

Geneva costs about 19% more than Lachen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Geneva and Lachen sit above the global median – Geneva by 200%, Lachen by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.31 CHF 25.15

$32.82 CHF 27.23

-7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$129 CHF 107

$119 CHF 98.5

8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.47 CHF 16.15

$16.19 CHF 13.43

20.26%

Cappuccino

$6.40 CHF 5.31

$6.35 CHF 5.27

0.79%

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

$4.66 CHF 3.87

$5.83 CHF 4.83

-20.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CHF 3.43

$5.06 CHF 4.20

-18.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.82 CHF 8.14

$8.32 CHF 6.90

18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.87 CHF 8.19

$9.35 CHF 7.76

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.95

$2.23 CHF 1.85

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.70

$3.27 CHF 2.71

-0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.81

$4.34 CHF 3.60

-21.89%

Eggs

$8.18 CHF 6.78

$7.60 CHF 6.31

7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.05 CHF 20.78

$26.92 CHF 22.33

-6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.22 CHF 24.24

$25.91 CHF 21.50

12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.51 CHF 35.27

$40.57 CHF 33.65

4.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.93

$3.58 CHF 2.97

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CHF 1.35

$2.04 CHF 1.70

-20.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.36

$2.60 CHF 2.15

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.90 CHF 4.07

$4.83 CHF 4.00

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CHF 1.36

$2.04 CHF 1.70

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.90

$2.17 CHF 1.80

5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CHF 1.82

$2.35 CHF 1.95

-6.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.38

$1.43 CHF 1.19

16.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 9.10

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 CHF 10.08

$13.13 CHF 10.89

-7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.66

$2.32 CHF 1.92

38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.74

$3.46 CHF 2.87

-4.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 CHF 2.95

$4.39 CHF 3.64

-19.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.8 CHF 71.2

$103 CHF 85.1

-16.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 CHF 6.31

$7.85 CHF 6.51

-3.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.76 CHF 3.12

$4.92 CHF 4.08

-23.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 CHF 53.2

$87.3 CHF 72.4

-26.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.95

$2.17 CHF 1.80

8.29%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.8K

$38.3K CHF 31.8K

3.13%

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

$38.8K CHF 32.2K

$39.0K CHF 32.3K

-0.30%

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

$280 CHF 232

$237 CHF 197

17.95%

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

$37.96 CHF 31.49

$32.20 CHF 26.72

17.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 47.74

$65.7 CHF 54.5

-12.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.0 CHF 63.8

$89.4 CHF 74.1

-13.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.34 CHF 35.95

$45.79 CHF 37.99

-5.35%

Cinema Ticket

$23.96 CHF 19.88

$21.98 CHF 18.23

9.01%

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

$2,484 CHF 2,061

$2,810 CHF 2,331

-11.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.2K CHF 29.2K

$44.5K CHF 36.9K

-20.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 110

$137 CHF 114

-2.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.1 CHF 65.6

$86.5 CHF 71.8

-8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 CHF 140

$146 CHF 121

15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 156

$173 CHF 143

9.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 CHF 2,344

$1,781 CHF 1,477

58.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,115 CHF 1,754

$1,486 CHF 1,233

42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,088 CHF 4,221

$2,940 CHF 2,439

73.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 CHF 3,287

$2,494 CHF 2,069

58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.6K

$16.4K CHF 13.6K

36.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.5K

$12.5K CHF 10.4K

30.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,271 CHF 6,032

$9,492 CHF 7,874

-23.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

1.72

15.12%

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

Last update for Geneva: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lachen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Geneva

$2.1K 51.9%

Lachen

$1.5K 43.4% 29.7% $629

Groceries & Markets

Geneva

$600 14.7%

Lachen

$581 17% 3.1% $18

Eating Out

Geneva

$482 11.8%

Lachen

$491 14.4% 2% $9.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Geneva

$375 9.2%

Lachen

$335 9.8% 10.7% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Geneva

$256 6.3%

Lachen

$244 7.1% 4.9% $12

Getting Around

Geneva

$126 3.1%

Lachen

$153 4.5% 20.7% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Geneva

$125 3.1%

Lachen

$133 3.9% 6.8% $8.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,825 in Geneva versus $1,781 in Lachen. 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 31% higher in Lachen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $129 in Geneva versus $119 in Lachen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $600 vs $581 – making Lachen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Geneva

🇨🇭 Lachen

🕒 Local time

15:54 3:54 PM

Same time as Geneva

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

191,557

9,000

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Geneva Lachen 230 km

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Geneva
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,118 per month in Geneva and $5,135 in Lachen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lachen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,781 there versus $2,825 in Geneva.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $129 in Geneva and $119 in Lachen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,079 in Geneva and $3,423 in Lachen. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Geneva has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,423 in Lachen to $4,079 in Geneva. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.