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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,080 per month in Geneva vs $3,459 in Yens, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,404 per month in Geneva vs $5,362 in Yens, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,728 per month in Geneva vs $7,264 in Yens, rent included.

Geneva costs about 18% more than Yens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Yens sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Yens by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.40 CHF 29.43

$30.31 CHF 24.51

20.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$147 CHF 119

1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 CHF 14.67

$18.91 CHF 15.29

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$5.76 CHF 4.66

$5.90 CHF 4.77

-2.37%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.43

$5.46 CHF 4.41

0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.86

$4.71 CHF 3.80

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 CHF 8.12

$9.65 CHF 7.80

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 CHF 7.08

$7.49 CHF 6.05

16.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$3.79 CHF 3.06

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.59

$4.45 CHF 3.60

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.10

$7.42 CHF 6.00

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.69

$26.28 CHF 21.24

2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.39 CHF 26.99

$28.80 CHF 23.29

15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.3 CHF 42.24

$44.50 CHF 35.98

17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.85

$3.62 CHF 2.93

-2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.08 CHF 1.68

20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.50

$2.84 CHF 2.30

8.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$6.61 CHF 5.34

-3.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.13

$2.50 CHF 2.02

5.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-2.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.07

$2.51 CHF 2.03

2.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.41 CHF 1.14

-5.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.81

$11.07 CHF 8.95

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CHF 9.76

$13.74 CHF 11.11

-12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$2.07 CHF 1.68

57.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 3.04

$3.10 CHF 2.50

20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$3.96 CHF 3.20

-5.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.3

$99.0 CHF 80.0

-13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 CHF 5.98

$7.73 CHF 6.25

-4.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.86

$3.41 CHF 2.76

3.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 52.5

$67.2 CHF 54.4

-3.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-0.90%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

-1.37%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.6K

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

23.50%

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

$261 CHF 211

$301 CHF 244

-13.37%

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

$48.55 CHF 39.25

$51.1 CHF 41.31

-4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.0

$57.5 CHF 46.47

11.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 64.7

$88.9 CHF 71.9

-9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.15

Cinema Ticket

$24.25 CHF 19.60

$22.64 CHF 18.30

7.11%

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

$3,487 CHF 2,819

$2,534 CHF 2,049

37.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 26.9K

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

-0.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$107 CHF 86.3

30.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 65.4

$68.6 CHF 55.5

17.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$149 CHF 121

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 174

$183 CHF 148

17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CHF 1,907

$1,694 CHF 1,370

39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 CHF 1,655

$1,448 CHF 1,170

41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,672 CHF 3,778

$2,801 CHF 2,265

66.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 CHF 3,148

$2,436 CHF 1,970

59.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.8K

$17.1K CHF 13.8K

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$10.8K CHF 8,726

51.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,277 CHF 5,883

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Yens: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Geneva versus $1,694 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 $147 in Yens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $622 – 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 18%, 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 $5,189 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 9% 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 $147 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 $4,080 in Geneva and $3,459 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.