Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,177 per month in Geneva vs $3,169 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,255 per month in Geneva vs $4,940 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,333 per month in Geneva vs $6,712 in Olten, rent included.

Geneva costs about 32% more than Olten, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Geneva and Olten sit above the global median – Geneva by 204%, Olten by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.77 CHF 24.89

$34.18 CHF 27.65

-9.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 CHF 108

$123 CHF 99.9

8.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 15.09

$17.95 CHF 14.52

3.96%

Cappuccino

$6.56 CHF 5.31

$6.59 CHF 5.33

-0.46%

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

$4.98 CHF 4.03

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-10.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.63 CHF 7.79

$9.34 CHF 7.56

3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 CHF 8.06

$7.56 CHF 6.12

31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$2.27 CHF 1.83

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.83

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-12.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CHF 2.69

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-14.40%

Eggs

$8.08 CHF 6.54

$8.76 CHF 7.09

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.34 CHF 20.50

$25.96 CHF 21.00

-2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.32 CHF 23.72

$27.37 CHF 22.14

7.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.61 CHF 34.47

$47.48 CHF 38.42

-10.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CHF 2.80

$4.25 CHF 3.44

-18.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 CHF 1.42

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-38.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.27

$3.07 CHF 2.48

-8.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.83

$4.86 CHF 3.93

-2.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CHF 1.31

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-39.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.40

$1.30 CHF 1.05

33.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CHF 9.02

$11.06 CHF 8.95

0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 CHF 9.85

$13.74 CHF 11.12

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 CHF 2.77

$2.74 CHF 2.22

25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CHF 2.84

$3.16 CHF 2.55

11.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 CHF 2.95

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-32.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.7 CHF 74.2

$109 CHF 88.6

-16.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 CHF 6.06

$8.24 CHF 6.67

-8.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.06 CHF 3.29

$4.80 CHF 3.88

-15.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.7 CHF 53.2

$90.3 CHF 73.0

-27.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.28 CHF 1.85

3.51%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-2.83%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

1.39%

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

$288 CHF 233

$287 CHF 233

0.13%

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

$38.71 CHF 31.31

$34.09 CHF 27.58

13.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 CHF 46.10

$49.15 CHF 39.76

15.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 63.6

$82.9 CHF 67.1

-5.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.32 CHF 36.66

Cinema Ticket

$24.59 CHF 19.89

$21.24 CHF 17.18

15.77%

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

$2,455 CHF 1,986

$3,643 CHF 2,947

-32.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K CHF 29.1K

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-15.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 112

$143 CHF 115

-2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.4 CHF 65.0

$60.4 CHF 48.88

33.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 137

$168 CHF 136

1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 CHF 155

$219 CHF 178

-12.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,828 CHF 2,288

$1,260 CHF 1,020

124.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 CHF 1,728

$1,058 CHF 856

101.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 CHF 3,822

$1,984 CHF 1,605

138.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,738 CHF 3,024

$1,954 CHF 1,581

91.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,375 CHF 5,967

$4,404 CHF 3,563

67.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

2.07

-4.35%

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

Last update for Geneva: August 30, 2026

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,828 in Geneva versus $1,260 in Olten. 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 67% 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 $133 in Geneva versus $123 in Olten. Groceries tell a different story – $605 in Geneva vs $631 in Olten – so Geneva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,266 per month in Geneva and $4,754 in Olten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Geneva – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $133 in Geneva and $123 in Olten. 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 $4,177 in Geneva and $3,169 in Olten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Olten – 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 Olten. 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.