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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,215 per month in Geneva vs $3,172 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,620 per month in Geneva vs $4,928 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,024 per month in Geneva vs $6,685 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

Geneva costs about 33% more than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – Geneva by 216%, Schaffhausen by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.08 CHF 30.27

$31.30 CHF 25.55

18.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 122

$122 CHF 99.4

22.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.74 CHF 15.30

$16.11 CHF 13.15

16.33%

Cappuccino

$5.89 CHF 4.81

$5.68 CHF 4.63

3.70%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.42

$5.36 CHF 4.37

1.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 CHF 3.99

$4.37 CHF 3.57

11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.09 CHF 8.23

$7.99 CHF 6.52

26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 CHF 7.17

$7.57 CHF 6.18

16.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.96 CHF 1.60

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$3.78 CHF 3.09

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 CHF 3.59

$3.69 CHF 3.01

19.24%

Eggs

$7.60 CHF 6.21

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-3.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.21 CHF 22.21

$29.80 CHF 24.32

-8.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.60 CHF 26.61

$35.49 CHF 28.97

-8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.0 CHF 43.26

$51.0 CHF 41.59

4.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 CHF 2.78

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.99

$2.26 CHF 1.84

7.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.46

$2.88 CHF 2.35

4.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 CHF 5.28

$6.10 CHF 4.98

6.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.08

$2.49 CHF 2.03

2.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.93

$2.48 CHF 2.03

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.67 CHF 2.18

-6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 CHF 1.07

$1.27 CHF 1.04

3.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.92

$10.94 CHF 8.93

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CHF 10.04

$13.42 CHF 10.95

-8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.68

$1.36 CHF 1.11

141.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.96

$2.60 CHF 2.12

39.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.61 CHF 2.95

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-8.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CHF 70.4

$85.7 CHF 69.9

0.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 CHF 6.12

$10.05 CHF 8.20

-25.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.89

$4.04 CHF 3.30

-12.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.3 CHF 52.5

$61.9 CHF 50.5

3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.13 CHF 1.74

3.76%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.2K

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

2.54%

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

$49.3K CHF 40.2K

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

16.15%

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

$257 CHF 210

$247 CHF 202

4.05%

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

$47.97 CHF 39.16

$28.70 CHF 23.42

67.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.5

$42.94 CHF 35.05

49.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 CHF 66.4

$109 CHF 88.6

-25.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.03 CHF 29.40

$47.47 CHF 38.74

-24.10%

Cinema Ticket

$24.23 CHF 19.78

$22.34 CHF 18.24

8.46%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,793

$3,354 CHF 2,738

2.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.5K CHF 27.3K

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

-22.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$112 CHF 91.4

23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.7 CHF 65.0

$67.7 CHF 55.2

17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 136

$133 CHF 109

24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 175

$154 CHF 126

38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 CHF 1,945

$1,226 CHF 1,001

94.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 CHF 1,649

$1,247 CHF 1,018

62.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,642 CHF 3,789

$2,660 CHF 2,171

74.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,834 CHF 3,129

$2,215 CHF 1,808

73.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.7K CHF 18.5K

$8,226 CHF 6,714

175.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.9K

$8,564 CHF 6,990

84.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,409 CHF 6,047

$7,453 CHF 6,083

-0.60%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Geneva versus $1,226 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 $149 in Geneva versus $122 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 33%, 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 $6,323 per month in Geneva and $4,758 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 $149 in Geneva and $122 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 $4,215 in Geneva and $3,172 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.