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 $4,618 per month in George Town vs $2,999 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,071 per month in George Town vs $4,746 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,524 per month in George Town vs $6,493 in Aarau, rent included.

George Town costs about 54% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both George Town and Aarau sit above the global median – George Town by 246%, Aarau by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.65 KYD 25.13

$29.41 CHF 23.73

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$108 CHF 86.7

33.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 KYD 13.07

$18.71 CHF 15.10

-14.80%

Cappuccino

$6.90 KYD 5.65

$6.23 CHF 5.03

10.75%

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

$3.36 KYD 2.76

$3.36 CHF 2.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$4.96 CHF 4.00

-45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 KYD 7.60

$8.04 CHF 6.48

15.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 KYD 6.71

$7.33 CHF 5.91

11.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 KYD 2.48

$2.09 CHF 1.69

44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$3.21 CHF 2.59

65.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.75 KYD 4.72

$2.51 CHF 2.03

129.08%

Eggs

$9.84 KYD 8.07

$6.79 CHF 5.48

44.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 KYD 9.60

$28.96 CHF 23.37

-59.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 KYD 13.13

$36.04 CHF 29.08

-55.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 KYD 13.32

$44.72 CHF 36.09

-63.69%

Apples (1kg)

$10.67 KYD 8.75

$2.79 CHF 2.25

282.44%

Banana (1kg)

$4.66 KYD 3.82

$2.10 CHF 1.69

121.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 KYD 6.49

$2.78 CHF 2.24

184.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 KYD 6.27

$5.89 CHF 4.75

29.71%

Potato (1kg)

$5.34 KYD 4.38

$2.26 CHF 1.83

136.28%

Onion (1kg)

$5.50 KYD 4.51

$2.09 CHF 1.69

163.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.09 KYD 5.00

$2.52 CHF 2.04

141.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 KYD 2.46

$1.45 CHF 1.17

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 KYD 11.98

$10.39 CHF 8.39

40.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.67 KYD 21.05

$10.41 CHF 8.40

146.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 KYD 3.21

$2.32 CHF 1.87

68.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 KYD 4.23

$2.18 CHF 1.76

136.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 KYD 2.01

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-44.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.28 KYD 24.83

$148 CHF 120

-79.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 KYD 14.99

$8.57 CHF 6.91

113.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.82 KYD 3.95

$5.52 CHF 4.45

-12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 KYD 48.69

$88.5 CHF 71.4

-32.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 KYD 1.40

$2.23 CHF 1.80

-23.32%

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

$39.2K KYD 32.1K

$41.2K CHF 33.2K

-4.87%

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

$34.0K KYD 27.9K

$42.9K CHF 34.6K

-20.67%

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

$385 KYD 316

$250 CHF 202

54.13%

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

$97.8 KYD 80.2

$43.25 CHF 34.90

126.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 KYD 90.4

$58.2 CHF 46.95

89.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 KYD 86.9

$67.4 CHF 54.4

57.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.38 KYD 33.11

$41.92 CHF 33.82

-3.67%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 KYD 14.90

$23.86 CHF 19.25

-23.85%

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

$1,744 KYD 1,430

$3,189 CHF 2,573

-45.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K KYD 19.9K

$25.2K CHF 20.3K

-3.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 KYD 75.2

$92.1 CHF 74.3

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 KYD 58.1

$54.2 CHF 43.76

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 KYD 121

$109 CHF 88.0

34.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$172 CHF 139

-13.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 KYD 2,301

$1,298 CHF 1,047

116.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 KYD 2,038

$1,058 CHF 853

134.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,558 KYD 4,557

$2,490 CHF 2,009

123.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,697 KYD 3,851

$2,075 CHF 1,674

126.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,809 KYD 7,223

$10.2K CHF 8,269

-14.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 KYD 1,889

$12.1K CHF 9,725

-80.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,125 KYD 5,842

$7,069 CHF 5,704

0.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

2.5

230.00%

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

Last update for George Town: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aarau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,806 in George Town versus $1,298 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 1% 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 $144 in George Town versus $108 in Aarau. Groceries tell a different story – $629 in George Town vs $634 in Aarau – so George Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 54% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,928 per month in George Town and $4,498 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 390% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,744 per month in George Town and $3,189 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 $4,618 in George Town and $2,999 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.