Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Solothurn Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Solothurn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,080 per month in Geneva vs $2,830 in Solothurn, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,404 per month in Geneva vs $4,520 in Solothurn, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,728 per month in Geneva vs $6,211 in Solothurn, rent included.

Geneva costs about 44% more than Solothurn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Solothurn sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Solothurn by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.40 CHF 29.49

$31.23 CHF 25.30

16.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$144 CHF 116

4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 CHF 14.69

$21.30 CHF 17.25

-14.84%

Cappuccino

$5.76 CHF 4.67

$6.53 CHF 5.29

-11.79%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.44

$5.64 CHF 4.57

-2.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.87

$5.39 CHF 4.37

-11.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 CHF 8.14

$6.88 CHF 5.57

46.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 CHF 7.10

$6.34 CHF 5.14

38.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$3.26 CHF 2.64

19.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$3.26 CHF 2.64

36.50%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.12

$7.20 CHF 5.84

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.73

$30.06 CHF 24.35

-10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.39 CHF 27.04

$31.44 CHF 25.47

6.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.3 CHF 42.32

$39.66 CHF 32.12

31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$4.16 CHF 3.37

-15.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.89 CHF 2.34

-13.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.51

$2.99 CHF 2.42

3.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.15

$4.21 CHF 3.41

51.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.14

$1.93 CHF 1.56

36.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$2.01 CHF 1.63

14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$2.54 CHF 2.06

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.06 CHF 0.86

25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.82

$11.01 CHF 8.92

-1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CHF 9.78

$9.73 CHF 7.88

24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$2.61 CHF 2.11

24.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 3.04

$2.40 CHF 1.94

56.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$3.66 CHF 2.97

1.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.4

$97.0 CHF 78.6

-11.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 CHF 5.99

$7.59 CHF 6.15

-2.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.87

$4.18 CHF 3.39

-15.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 52.6

$75.1 CHF 60.8

-13.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-6.01%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$37.2K CHF 30.2K

6.78%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.7K

$38.8K CHF 31.5K

29.28%

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

$261 CHF 211

$96.9 CHF 78.5

169.41%

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

$48.55 CHF 39.32

$30.30 CHF 24.54

60.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.1

$59.1 CHF 47.86

8.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 64.8

$73.0 CHF 59.2

9.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.21

$24.77 CHF 20.06

50.55%

Cinema Ticket

$24.25 CHF 19.64

$25.00 CHF 20.25

-3.00%

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

$3,487 CHF 2,824

$3,422 CHF 2,772

1.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.0K

$19.5K CHF 15.8K

71.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

-0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 65.5

$43.89 CHF 35.55

84.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$99.3 CHF 80.4

66.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 174

$187 CHF 151

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CHF 1,910

$1,278 CHF 1,035

84.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 CHF 1,659

$1,083 CHF 877

89.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,672 CHF 3,785

$1,859 CHF 1,506

151.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 CHF 3,153

$1,753 CHF 1,420

122.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.9K

$9,830 CHF 7,962

124.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$4,937 CHF 3,999

230.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,277 CHF 5,894

$6,802 CHF 5,510

6.97%

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 Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Geneva versus $1,278 in Solothurn. 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 7% 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 $144 in Solothurn. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $604 – making Solothurn 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 Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 44%, 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 $4,244 in Solothurn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $144 in Solothurn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,080 in Geneva and $2,830 in Solothurn. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Solothurn – 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 Solothurn. 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.