Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,060 per month in Geneva vs $3,525 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,383 per month in Geneva vs $5,293 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,707 per month in Geneva vs $7,060 in Thun, rent included.

Geneva costs about 15% more than Thun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Thun sit above the global median – Geneva by 203%, Thun by 163%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.68 CHF 29.74

$28.21 CHF 22.26

33.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$124 CHF 97.7

21.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 CHF 14.71

$17.30 CHF 13.66

7.75%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$5.89 CHF 4.65

1.36%

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

$5.49 CHF 4.33

$4.75 CHF 3.75

15.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$4.83 CHF 3.81

1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.13 CHF 7.99

$8.48 CHF 6.69

19.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 6.74

$7.67 CHF 6.05

11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.22 CHF 1.75

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$3.40 CHF 2.69

14.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CHF 3.50

$4.13 CHF 3.26

7.51%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.01

$7.32 CHF 5.78

4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.53 CHF 20.94

$26.79 CHF 21.15

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.26 CHF 26.25

$28.73 CHF 22.68

15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.49

$41.10 CHF 32.44

27.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.76

$3.56 CHF 2.81

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.15 CHF 1.70

17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.42

$2.79 CHF 2.20

10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 4.94

$6.33 CHF 4.99

-1.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$2.23 CHF 1.76

19.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.16 CHF 1.71

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

$2.54 CHF 2.01

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$1.11 CHF 0.87

22.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.60

$11.10 CHF 8.76

-1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 CHF 10.14

$12.65 CHF 9.98

1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$1.90 CHF 1.50

71.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$2.29 CHF 1.80

58.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$3.83 CHF 3.02

-6.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CHF 67.5

$100.0 CHF 78.9

-14.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.95

$7.90 CHF 6.23

-4.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$3.30 CHF 2.61

10.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.7

$66.2 CHF 52.3

-1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-0.45%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$40.3K CHF 31.8K

1.84%

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

$48.7K CHF 38.5K

$40.8K CHF 32.2K

19.57%

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

$262 CHF 207

$366 CHF 289

-28.36%

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

$47.82 CHF 37.74

$59.6 CHF 47.00

-19.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CHF 49.92

$59.2 CHF 46.75

6.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 CHF 62.8

$86.5 CHF 68.3

-8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.97 CHF 28.39

Cinema Ticket

$24.48 CHF 19.32

$24.60 CHF 19.42

-0.49%

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

$3,514 CHF 2,773

$3,030 CHF 2,391

15.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

$33.9K CHF 26.7K

-3.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$153 CHF 120

-9.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 64.5

$69.8 CHF 55.1

17.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 128

$176 CHF 139

-7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 169

$186 CHF 147

15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 CHF 1,838

$1,687 CHF 1,331

38.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CHF 1,617

$1,473 CHF 1,162

39.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 CHF 3,655

$2,870 CHF 2,265

61.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,922 CHF 3,095

$2,499 CHF 1,972

56.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$7,647 CHF 6,035

113.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,858 CHF 6,202

$6,206 CHF 4,898

26.62%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Thun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,329 in Geneva versus $1,687 in Thun. 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 27% 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 $124 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $597 – making Thun 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 15%, 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 $6,090 per month in Geneva and $5,288 in Thun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $124 in Thun. 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 $4,060 in Geneva and $3,525 in Thun. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Thun – 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 Thun. 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.