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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,080 per month in Geneva vs $2,973 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,404 per month in Geneva vs $4,526 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,728 per month in Geneva vs $6,078 in Olten, rent included.

Geneva costs about 37% more than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Olten sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Olten by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.40 CHF 29.49

$31.25 CHF 25.31

16.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$103 CHF 83.2

45.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 CHF 14.69

$17.04 CHF 13.81

6.46%

Cappuccino

$5.76 CHF 4.67

$5.51 CHF 4.46

4.54%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.44

$5.20 CHF 4.21

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.87

$4.51 CHF 3.65

5.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 CHF 8.14

$7.27 CHF 5.89

38.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 CHF 7.10

$6.26 CHF 5.07

39.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.07 CHF 1.67

5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$3.42 CHF 2.77

14.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$4.08 CHF 3.30

9.07%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.12

$7.52 CHF 6.09

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.73

$21.94 CHF 17.77

22.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.39 CHF 27.04

$25.36 CHF 20.54

31.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.3 CHF 42.32

$40.38 CHF 32.70

29.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-16.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-0.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.51

$3.04 CHF 2.46

1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.15

$5.04 CHF 4.08

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.14

$2.73 CHF 2.21

-3.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$2.30 CHF 1.86

0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$2.56 CHF 2.07

0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-10.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.82

$11.01 CHF 8.92

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CHF 9.78

$13.29 CHF 10.76

-9.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$2.07 CHF 1.67

57.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 3.04

$2.43 CHF 1.97

54.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$3.86 CHF 3.13

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.4

$98.2 CHF 79.6

-12.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 CHF 5.99

$7.74 CHF 6.27

-4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.87

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 52.6

$62.7 CHF 50.8

3.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-2.23%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

0.08%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.7K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

25.65%

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

$261 CHF 211

$254 CHF 206

2.61%

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

$48.55 CHF 39.32

$33.62 CHF 27.24

44.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.1

$58.1 CHF 47.04

10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 64.8

$62.4 CHF 50.5

28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.21

$18.77 CHF 15.21

98.67%

Cinema Ticket

$24.25 CHF 19.64

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-3.35%

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

$3,487 CHF 2,824

$3,456 CHF 2,799

0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.0K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-16.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$139 CHF 113

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 65.5

$60.7 CHF 49.15

33.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$146 CHF 118

13.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 174

$198 CHF 160

8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CHF 1,910

$1,256 CHF 1,017

87.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 CHF 1,659

$1,048 CHF 849

95.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,672 CHF 3,785

$1,956 CHF 1,585

138.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 CHF 3,153

$1,697 CHF 1,374

129.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.9K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

51.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

31.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,277 CHF 5,894

$4,205 CHF 3,406

73.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.09

17.70%

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

Last update for Geneva: July 13, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Geneva versus $1,256 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 73% 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 $103 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $571 – making Olten 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 37%, 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 $6,120 per month in Geneva and $4,460 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.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $150 in Geneva and $103 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 $4,080 in Geneva and $2,973 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.