Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Schaffhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Schaffhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,202 per month in Geneva vs $3,151 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,374 per month in Geneva vs $5,139 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Geneva vs $7,126 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Geneva costs about 33% more than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Schaffhausen by 129%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 25.19

$31.20 CHF 25.46

-1.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 CHF 111

$121 CHF 99.0

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 15.38

$18.87 CHF 15.40

-0.11%

Cappuccino

$6.65 CHF 5.43

$5.75 CHF 4.69

15.65%

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

$5.00 CHF 4.08

$5.47 CHF 4.47

-8.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 CHF 3.41

$4.99 CHF 4.07

-16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 8.18

$8.73 CHF 7.13

14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.77 CHF 7.97

$7.46 CHF 6.09

30.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.94

$2.21 CHF 1.81

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 CHF 2.85

$4.15 CHF 3.38

-15.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.66

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-25.23%

Eggs

$8.25 CHF 6.74

$7.84 CHF 6.40

5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.28 CHF 20.63

$28.35 CHF 23.14

-10.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.09 CHF 24.56

$32.11 CHF 26.20

-6.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.71 CHF 35.67

$43.79 CHF 35.74

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.93

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.37

$2.19 CHF 1.79

-23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.23

$3.17 CHF 2.59

-13.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-15.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 CHF 1.29

$2.52 CHF 2.05

-36.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-5.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$2.46 CHF 2.00

-14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.39

$1.25 CHF 1.02

36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 CHF 9.20

$11.23 CHF 9.17

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.95

$13.72 CHF 11.20

-11.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.67

$3.04 CHF 2.48

7.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CHF 2.92

$3.97 CHF 3.24

-9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-6.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.8 CHF 74.1

$99.4 CHF 81.1

-8.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 CHF 6.39

$6.26 CHF 5.11

25.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.91 CHF 3.19

$3.81 CHF 3.11

2.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.7 CHF 53.6

$61.5 CHF 50.2

6.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.95

$2.22 CHF 1.81

7.21%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.9K

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-12.50%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.8K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-1.52%

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

$287 CHF 234

$228 CHF 186

25.97%

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

$39.09 CHF 31.91

$31.99 CHF 26.11

22.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.39

$64.0 CHF 52.2

-9.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 62.2

$112 CHF 91.1

-31.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.89 CHF 38.26

$46.98 CHF 38.34

-0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$24.65 CHF 20.12

$23.97 CHF 19.56

2.84%

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

$2,449 CHF 1,999

$3,228 CHF 2,634

-24.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.8K CHF 30.0K

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

10.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$170 CHF 138

-19.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.8 CHF 66.7

$54.9 CHF 44.83

48.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$169 CHF 138

$193 CHF 157

-12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 154

$157 CHF 128

20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 CHF 2,320

$1,362 CHF 1,112

108.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 CHF 1,749

$1,200 CHF 980

78.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,690 CHF 3,827

$2,710 CHF 2,212

73.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,651 CHF 2,979

$2,411 CHF 1,967

51.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

$8,369 CHF 6,830

168.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 13.0K

$8,438 CHF 6,886

89.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,229 CHF 5,900

$7,296 CHF 5,954

-0.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

2.48

-20.16%

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

Last update for Geneva: September 6, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,843 in Geneva versus $1,362 in Schaffhausen. 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 1% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $136 in Geneva versus $121 in Schaffhausen. Groceries tell a different story – $611 in Geneva vs $651 in Schaffhausen – 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 33%, 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 $4,727 in Schaffhausen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $136 in Geneva and $121 in Schaffhausen. 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 $4,202 in Geneva and $3,151 in Schaffhausen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Schaffhausen – 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 Schaffhausen. 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.