Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Yens Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Yens

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,060 per month in Geneva vs $3,511 in Yens, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,383 per month in Geneva vs $5,311 in Yens, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,707 per month in Geneva vs $7,111 in Yens, rent included.

Geneva costs about 16% more than Yens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Yens sit above the global median – Geneva by 203%, Yens by 162%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.68 CHF 29.71

$30.64 CHF 24.16

22.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$145 CHF 114

3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 CHF 14.69

$18.91 CHF 14.91

-1.43%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$6.15 CHF 4.85

-2.93%

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

$5.49 CHF 4.33

$5.34 CHF 4.21

2.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$4.87 CHF 3.84

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.13 CHF 7.99

$9.92 CHF 7.82

2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 6.73

$7.43 CHF 5.86

14.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.17 CHF 1.71

4.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$3.84 CHF 3.03

1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CHF 3.50

$4.52 CHF 3.56

-1.77%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.00

$7.10 CHF 5.60

7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.53 CHF 20.92

$26.46 CHF 20.86

0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.26 CHF 26.22

$28.53 CHF 22.50

16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.45

$43.82 CHF 34.55

19.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.75

$3.64 CHF 2.87

-4.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.11 CHF 1.66

19.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.42

$2.81 CHF 2.22

9.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 4.93

$6.57 CHF 5.18

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.09

$2.44 CHF 1.92

9.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.33 CHF 1.83

-0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

$2.49 CHF 1.96

3.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$1.46 CHF 1.15

-6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.59

$10.93 CHF 8.62

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 CHF 10.13

$13.76 CHF 10.85

-6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$2.02 CHF 1.59

61.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$3.12 CHF 2.46

16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.83

$3.95 CHF 3.11

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CHF 67.4

$98.7 CHF 77.8

-13.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.94

$8.10 CHF 6.38

-7.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$3.37 CHF 2.65

8.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.7

$66.2 CHF 52.2

-0.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.19 CHF 1.73

1.83%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

2.48%

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

$48.7K CHF 38.4K

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

17.13%

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

$262 CHF 207

$304 CHF 240

-13.80%

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

$47.82 CHF 37.70

$51.1 CHF 40.31

-6.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CHF 49.87

$57.7 CHF 45.49

9.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 CHF 62.7

$89.6 CHF 70.7

-11.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.97 CHF 28.36

Cinema Ticket

$24.48 CHF 19.30

$23.13 CHF 18.23

5.84%

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

$3,514 CHF 2,770

$2,554 CHF 2,014

37.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

-3.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$107 CHF 84.7

28.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 64.4

$70.9 CHF 55.9

15.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 128

$151 CHF 119

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 169

$184 CHF 145

16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 CHF 1,836

$1,711 CHF 1,349

36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CHF 1,615

$1,451 CHF 1,144

41.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 CHF 3,651

$2,872 CHF 2,264

61.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,922 CHF 3,092

$2,427 CHF 1,913

61.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

$15.7K CHF 12.4K

47.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$10.6K CHF 8,331

54.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,858 CHF 6,195

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 Yens: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,329 in Geneva versus $1,711 in Yens. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $150 in Geneva versus $145 in Yens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $618 – making Yens 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 Yens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 16%, 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 $6,090 per month in Geneva and $5,266 in Yens. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $145 in Yens. 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 $3,511 in Yens. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Yens – 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 Yens. 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.