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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,177 per month in Geneva vs $3,573 in Thun, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,255 per month in Geneva vs $5,324 in Thun, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,333 per month in Geneva vs $7,074 in Thun, rent included.

Geneva costs about 17% more than Thun, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Geneva and Thun sit above the global median – Geneva by 204%, Thun by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.77 CHF 24.85

$29.64 CHF 23.93

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 CHF 108

$126 CHF 102

5.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 15.07

$16.30 CHF 13.17

14.48%

Cappuccino

$6.56 CHF 5.30

$6.70 CHF 5.41

-2.09%

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

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-22.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CHF 3.43

$6.26 CHF 5.05

-32.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.63 CHF 7.77

$9.23 CHF 7.46

4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 CHF 8.05

$8.29 CHF 6.70

20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$2.33 CHF 1.88

2.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.82

$3.01 CHF 2.43

16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CHF 2.69

$3.40 CHF 2.74

-2.06%

Eggs

$8.08 CHF 6.53

$8.04 CHF 6.50

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.34 CHF 20.46

$25.49 CHF 20.58

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.32 CHF 23.68

$28.69 CHF 23.16

2.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.61 CHF 34.40

$39.66 CHF 32.02

7.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CHF 2.80

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-5.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 CHF 1.41

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-25.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.26

$2.97 CHF 2.40

-5.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.83

$4.79 CHF 3.87

-1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CHF 1.30

$1.56 CHF 1.26

3.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.07 CHF 1.68

5.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-8.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.40

$1.36 CHF 1.10

27.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CHF 9.00

$11.81 CHF 9.53

-5.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 CHF 9.83

$12.56 CHF 10.14

-3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 CHF 2.77

$2.24 CHF 1.81

53.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CHF 2.83

$2.92 CHF 2.36

20.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 CHF 2.94

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-17.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.7 CHF 74.1

$104 CHF 83.7

-11.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 CHF 6.05

$8.04 CHF 6.49

-6.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.06 CHF 3.28

$4.60 CHF 3.72

-11.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.7 CHF 53.1

$86.6 CHF 69.9

-24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-1.26%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

-10.97%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-0.37%

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

$288 CHF 232

$306 CHF 247

-5.86%

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

$38.71 CHF 31.26

$53.9 CHF 43.55

-28.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 CHF 46.01

$65.1 CHF 52.6

-12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 63.5

$95.3 CHF 76.9

-17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.32 CHF 36.59

$46.55 CHF 37.59

-2.64%

Cinema Ticket

$24.59 CHF 19.85

$23.69 CHF 19.13

3.80%

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

$2,455 CHF 1,983

$3,089 CHF 2,494

-20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K CHF 29.1K

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 112

$153 CHF 123

-9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.4 CHF 64.9

$82.9 CHF 67.0

-3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 137

$166 CHF 134

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 CHF 155

$202 CHF 163

-5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,828 CHF 2,284

$1,816 CHF 1,466

55.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 CHF 1,725

$1,512 CHF 1,221

41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 CHF 3,814

$2,925 CHF 2,362

61.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,738 CHF 3,019

$2,496 CHF 2,016

49.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.2K

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

37.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

28.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,375 CHF 5,956

$6,082 CHF 4,911

21.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

2.43

-18.52%

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

Last update for Geneva: August 30, 2026

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,828 in Geneva versus $1,816 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 21% 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 $133 in Geneva versus $126 in Thun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 vs $583 – 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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,266 per month in Geneva and $5,360 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 4% 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 $133 in Geneva and $126 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 $4,177 in Geneva and $3,573 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.