Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Aarau Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Aarau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,824 per month in George Town vs $2,825 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,348 per month in George Town vs $4,712 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,872 per month in George Town vs $6,599 in Aarau, rent included.

George Town costs about 71% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both George Town and Aarau sit above the global median – George Town by 251%, Aarau by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.84 KYD 24.47

$30.44 CHF 24.75

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 KYD 94.6

$108 CHF 87.9

6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 KYD 13.57

$18.92 CHF 15.38

-12.58%

Cappuccino

$7.07 KYD 5.80

$5.89 CHF 4.79

20.03%

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

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$5.32 CHF 4.32

-42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KYD 2.28

$4.93 CHF 4.00

-43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 KYD 5.96

$6.05 CHF 4.92

20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.69 KYD 7.94

$6.63 CHF 5.39

46.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.64 KYD 3.80

$2.10 CHF 1.70

120.95%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 KYD 3.55

$3.92 CHF 3.19

10.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 KYD 3.60

$2.74 CHF 2.23

60.22%

Eggs

$7.46 KYD 6.12

$7.61 CHF 6.19

-1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$55.0 KYD 45.06

$32.31 CHF 26.27

70.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.25 KYD 15.79

$30.77 CHF 25.02

-37.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.72 KYD 16.17

$41.70 CHF 33.90

-52.71%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 KYD 6.08

$2.97 CHF 2.42

149.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.68 KYD 3.02

$1.81 CHF 1.47

103.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.09 KYD 4.99

$2.52 CHF 2.05

141.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.88 KYD 6.46

$5.92 CHF 4.82

33.11%

Potato (1kg)

$4.14 KYD 3.39

$1.78 CHF 1.45

132.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 KYD 3.26

$2.00 CHF 1.62

99.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 KYD 2.62

$2.31 CHF 1.88

38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 KYD 1.78

$1.20 CHF 0.97

80.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 KYD 11.83

$11.34 CHF 9.22

27.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.24 KYD 20.69

$10.40 CHF 8.46

142.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 KYD 3.40

$2.65 CHF 2.16

56.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 KYD 4.66

$3.01 CHF 2.45

88.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 KYD 1.91

$5.25 CHF 4.27

-55.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 KYD 66.9

$150 CHF 122

-45.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.57 KYD 15.23

$7.36 CHF 5.98

152.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 KYD 3.19

$3.36 CHF 2.73

15.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.79 KYD 36.73

$63.0 CHF 51.3

-28.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 KYD 1.35

$2.27 CHF 1.85

-27.75%

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

$42.5K KYD 34.8K

$44.2K CHF 36.0K

-4.00%

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

$42.3K KYD 34.7K

$40.3K CHF 32.8K

4.90%

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

$458 KYD 376

$125 CHF 102

266.31%

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

$120 KYD 98.5

$32.27 CHF 26.24

272.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$115 KYD 94.1

$57.6 CHF 46.79

99.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$219 KYD 179

$98.9 CHF 80.4

121.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 KYD 29.01

$62.0 CHF 50.4

-42.95%

Cinema Ticket

$18.45 KYD 15.13

$22.11 CHF 17.97

-16.55%

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

$1,832 KYD 1,502

$3,186 CHF 2,590

-42.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K KYD 21.7K

$24.8K CHF 20.1K

7.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.9 KYD 69.6

$92.6 CHF 75.2

-8.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.9 KYD 60.6

$75.1 CHF 61.0

-1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 KYD 112

$112 CHF 90.9

22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 KYD 117

$170 CHF 139

-16.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,909 KYD 2,385

$1,291 CHF 1,049

125.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,443 KYD 2,003

$1,049 CHF 853

132.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,779 KYD 4,739

$2,309 CHF 1,877

150.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,770 KYD 3,911

$2,179 CHF 1,771

118.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,648 KYD 7,092

$10.3K CHF 8,414

-16.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 KYD 1,892

$12.2K CHF 9,928

-81.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,390 KYD 6,060

$7,161 CHF 5,822

3.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

246.32%

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

Last update for George Town: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aarau: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,909 in George Town versus $1,291 in Aarau. 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 3% higher in George Town, 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 $115 in George Town versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $722 vs $616 – making Aarau 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

George Town vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town costs about 71% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,237 per month in George Town and $4,237 in Aarau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 84% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,832 per month in George Town and $3,186 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,824 in George Town and $2,825 in Aarau. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Aarau – 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 Aarau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, George Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.