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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,065 per month in Geneva vs $3,151 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,486 per month in Geneva vs $4,931 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,908 per month in Geneva vs $6,712 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Geneva costs about 29% more than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – Geneva by 203%, Schaffhausen by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.37 CHF 28.51

$31.31 CHF 24.55

16.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 116

$125 CHF 98.1

17.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.44 CHF 14.46

$15.86 CHF 12.43

16.27%

Cappuccino

$5.98 CHF 4.69

$5.43 CHF 4.26

10.13%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.29

$5.42 CHF 4.25

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 CHF 3.82

$4.42 CHF 3.47

10.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.82 CHF 7.70

$8.20 CHF 6.43

19.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CHF 6.78

$7.59 CHF 5.95

13.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.79

$1.90 CHF 1.49

20.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 CHF 2.98

$3.79 CHF 2.97

0.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 CHF 3.45

$3.55 CHF 2.79

23.94%

Eggs

$7.34 CHF 5.76

$7.66 CHF 6.01

-4.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.18 CHF 21.31

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-8.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.05 CHF 25.91

$35.28 CHF 27.66

-6.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.7 CHF 40.54

$51.8 CHF 40.59

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CHF 2.71

$3.77 CHF 2.95

-8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.89

$2.24 CHF 1.76

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.35

$2.87 CHF 2.25

4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 CHF 5.01

$6.02 CHF 4.72

5.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CHF 2.08

$2.46 CHF 1.93

7.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.90

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.96

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-6.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.09

$1.28 CHF 1.01

8.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.59

$11.29 CHF 8.85

-2.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 CHF 10.09

$13.90 CHF 10.90

-7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.53

$1.36 CHF 1.07

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 CHF 2.88

$2.75 CHF 2.15

33.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.87

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-3.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.6 CHF 67.1

$85.1 CHF 66.7

0.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 CHF 5.82

$10.08 CHF 7.91

-26.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 CHF 2.87

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-10.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.4 CHF 50.5

$62.3 CHF 48.83

3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.81

$2.15 CHF 1.69

7.44%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.3K

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

0.80%

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

$49.8K CHF 39.0K

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

17.11%

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

$258 CHF 202

$242 CHF 190

6.49%

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

$48.14 CHF 37.74

$28.69 CHF 22.49

67.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 CHF 49.93

$43.53 CHF 34.13

46.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.9 CHF 63.4

$109 CHF 85.7

-26.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.39 CHF 29.32

$47.51 CHF 37.25

-21.30%

Cinema Ticket

$24.66 CHF 19.33

$22.50 CHF 17.64

9.60%

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

$3,395 CHF 2,662

$3,325 CHF 2,607

2.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.0K CHF 25.9K

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

-24.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 107

$112 CHF 87.9

22.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.4 CHF 64.6

$68.3 CHF 53.5

20.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 131

$130 CHF 102

28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 168

$158 CHF 124

35.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 CHF 1,810

$1,214 CHF 952

90.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,016 CHF 1,581

$1,221 CHF 957

65.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,626 CHF 3,627

$2,754 CHF 2,159

68.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,904 CHF 3,061

$2,163 CHF 1,696

80.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.2K CHF 18.2K

$8,567 CHF 6,717

170.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.7K CHF 13.9K

$6,910 CHF 5,417

156.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,773 CHF 6,094

$9,437 CHF 7,398

-17.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.5

-1.60%

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

Last update for Geneva: April 21, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,308 in Geneva versus $1,214 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 21% 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 $147 in Geneva versus $125 in Schaffhausen. Groceries tell a different story – $674 in Geneva vs $675 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 29%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,097 per month in Geneva and $4,726 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 0% 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 $147 in Geneva and $125 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 $4,065 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.