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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,121 per month in Geneva vs $3,470 in Yens, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,298 per month in Geneva vs $5,210 in Yens, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,476 per month in Geneva vs $6,951 in Yens, rent included.

Geneva costs about 19% more than Yens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Yens sit above the global median – Geneva by 201%, Yens by 154%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.82 CHF 25.32

$28.97 CHF 23.81

6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 CHF 109

$122 CHF 100

8.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.06 CHF 14.84

$16.03 CHF 13.17

12.66%

Cappuccino

$6.51 CHF 5.35

$6.10 CHF 5.01

6.72%

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

$5.07 CHF 4.17

$5.04 CHF 4.14

0.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 CHF 3.53

$4.11 CHF 3.38

4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.69 CHF 7.97

$9.18 CHF 7.55

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.53 CHF 7.83

$8.16 CHF 6.71

16.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CHF 1.97

$2.24 CHF 1.84

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 CHF 2.83

$3.07 CHF 2.52

12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CHF 2.74

$3.18 CHF 2.62

4.72%

Eggs

$7.86 CHF 6.46

$7.37 CHF 6.06

6.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.58 CHF 21.02

$24.52 CHF 20.15

4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.71 CHF 23.60

$28.06 CHF 23.06

2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.27 CHF 34.74

$39.21 CHF 32.22

7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.93

$3.60 CHF 2.96

-1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.38

$2.03 CHF 1.67

-17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.28

$2.64 CHF 2.17

4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 CHF 3.98

$4.53 CHF 3.72

7.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CHF 1.30

$1.70 CHF 1.40

-7.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.76

$1.99 CHF 1.64

8.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$2.05 CHF 1.69

6.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CHF 1.33

$1.31 CHF 1.08

23.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 CHF 9.15

$11.27 CHF 9.27

-1.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CHF 9.92

$12.42 CHF 10.21

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 CHF 2.70

$2.35 CHF 1.93

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 CHF 2.90

$3.04 CHF 2.50

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.70 CHF 3.04

$4.42 CHF 3.64

-16.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.9 CHF 75.5

$99.3 CHF 81.6

-7.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 CHF 6.34

$7.86 CHF 6.46

-1.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.02 CHF 3.30

$4.65 CHF 3.82

-13.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 53.4

$86.8 CHF 71.3

-25.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.92

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-1.69%

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

$39.2K CHF 32.3K

$44.6K CHF 36.7K

-12.04%

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

$40.3K CHF 33.1K

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

2.07%

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

$288 CHF 236

$283 CHF 233

1.65%

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

$37.66 CHF 30.95

$28.77 CHF 23.64

30.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CHF 47.89

$51.4 CHF 42.23

13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 CHF 61.8

$92.7 CHF 76.2

-18.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.11 CHF 37.07

$45.86 CHF 37.68

-1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$24.37 CHF 20.03

$24.87 CHF 20.43

-2.01%

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

$2,401 CHF 1,973

$2,953 CHF 2,427

-18.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K CHF 29.7K

$31.6K CHF 26.0K

14.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 113

$145 CHF 119

-4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 66.5

$61.9 CHF 50.9

30.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 136

$141 CHF 116

17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 154

$203 CHF 167

-7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,833 CHF 2,328

$1,773 CHF 1,457

59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 CHF 1,734

$1,479 CHF 1,215

42.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,745 CHF 3,899

$2,925 CHF 2,404

62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,727 CHF 3,063

$2,547 CHF 2,093

46.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.5K

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

35.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.1K CHF 13.2K

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

31.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,207 CHF 5,922

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

1.95

1.54%

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

Last update for Geneva: September 12, 2026

Last update for Yens: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,833 in Geneva versus $1,773 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 $133 in Geneva versus $122 in Yens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $598 vs $566 – 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 19%, 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 $6,181 per month in Geneva and $5,205 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 6% 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 $122 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 $4,121 in Geneva and $3,470 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.