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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,204 per month in Geneva vs $3,548 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,544 per month in Geneva vs $5,381 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,883 per month in Geneva vs $7,214 in Thun, rent included.

Geneva costs about 19% more than Thun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and Thun sit above the global median – Geneva by 212%, Thun by 163%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.83 CHF 28.84

$27.75 CHF 21.73

32.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 115

$122 CHF 95.8

20.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.65 CHF 14.60

$17.27 CHF 13.52

7.99%

Cappuccino

$5.79 CHF 4.53

$5.81 CHF 4.55

-0.34%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.17

$4.82 CHF 3.77

10.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CHF 3.95

$4.65 CHF 3.64

8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 CHF 7.75

$8.38 CHF 6.56

18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 CHF 6.68

$7.75 CHF 6.07

10.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.79

$2.24 CHF 1.75

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.02

$3.38 CHF 2.65

13.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.35

$4.11 CHF 3.22

4.14%

Eggs

$7.30 CHF 5.71

$7.14 CHF 5.59

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 20.88

$26.35 CHF 20.63

1.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.69 CHF 26.38

$28.15 CHF 22.04

19.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.3 CHF 41.71

$40.83 CHF 31.97

30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 CHF 2.80

$3.42 CHF 2.68

4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 1.99

$2.16 CHF 1.69

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.40

$2.82 CHF 2.21

8.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 CHF 4.85

$6.40 CHF 5.01

-3.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.10

$2.26 CHF 1.77

18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.81

$2.16 CHF 1.69

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.95

$2.51 CHF 1.97

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.05

$1.09 CHF 0.86

22.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.58

$10.98 CHF 8.60

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 CHF 9.87

$12.83 CHF 10.05

-1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.61

$1.96 CHF 1.54

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CHF 2.81

$2.27 CHF 1.78

58.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.75 CHF 2.93

$3.88 CHF 3.04

-3.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.7 CHF 66.4

$99.0 CHF 77.6

-14.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 CHF 6.02

$7.77 CHF 6.08

-1.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 CHF 2.73

$3.31 CHF 2.59

5.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.4 CHF 49.66

$65.8 CHF 51.5

-3.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.78

$2.14 CHF 1.68

6.54%

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

$40.6K CHF 31.8K

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

-0.54%

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

$48.6K CHF 38.1K

$41.8K CHF 32.7K

16.34%

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

$262 CHF 205

$370 CHF 290

-29.20%

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

$47.85 CHF 37.46

$59.3 CHF 46.46

-19.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 CHF 49.28

$57.8 CHF 45.22

8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 CHF 62.2

$87.1 CHF 68.2

-8.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.19 CHF 28.34

Cinema Ticket

$24.29 CHF 19.02

$24.98 CHF 19.56

-2.76%

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

$3,495 CHF 2,737

$3,021 CHF 2,365

15.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.8K CHF 25.7K

$33.4K CHF 26.2K

-1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 109

$149 CHF 117

-6.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.1 CHF 62.7

$69.3 CHF 54.2

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 129

$176 CHF 138

-6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 CHF 166

$183 CHF 143

16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,365 CHF 1,852

$1,684 CHF 1,319

40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CHF 1,570

$1,447 CHF 1,133

38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,668 CHF 3,655

$2,888 CHF 2,261

61.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,833 CHF 3,002

$2,442 CHF 1,912

56.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.2K CHF 18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.9K CHF 14.0K

$7,747 CHF 6,066

130.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,828 CHF 6,129

$6,547 CHF 5,126

19.57%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Thun: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,365 in Geneva versus $1,684 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 20% 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 $147 in Geneva versus $122 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $680 vs $591 – 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 19%, 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 $6,306 per month in Geneva and $5,322 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 15% 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 $147 in Geneva and $122 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 $4,204 in Geneva and $3,548 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.