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 $4,602 per month in George Town vs $2,962 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,054 per month in George Town vs $4,722 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,505 per month in George Town vs $6,482 in Aarau, rent included.

George Town costs about 55% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both George Town and Aarau sit above the global median – George Town by 243%, Aarau by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.62 KYD 25.11

$30.10 CHF 23.73

1.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 KYD 118

$106 CHF 83.6

36.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.85 KYD 13.00

$19.44 CHF 15.33

-18.47%

Cappuccino

$6.91 KYD 5.66

$6.35 CHF 5.01

8.82%

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

$3.52 KYD 2.88

$3.34 CHF 2.63

5.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KYD 2.23

$4.83 CHF 3.80

-43.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.05 KYD 7.42

$8.16 CHF 6.43

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.60 KYD 7.05

$7.32 CHF 5.77

17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 KYD 2.50

$2.17 CHF 1.71

40.55%

White Bread (500g)

$5.26 KYD 4.32

$3.34 CHF 2.63

57.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.83 KYD 4.78

$2.54 CHF 2.01

129.53%

Eggs

$9.98 KYD 8.19

$7.00 CHF 5.52

42.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 KYD 9.70

$28.84 CHF 22.74

-59.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.84 KYD 12.99

$36.39 CHF 28.69

-56.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 KYD 13.37

$43.90 CHF 34.61

-62.87%

Apples (1kg)

$10.46 KYD 8.58

$2.80 CHF 2.20

273.57%

Banana (1kg)

$4.55 KYD 3.73

$2.13 CHF 1.68

113.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 KYD 6.41

$2.81 CHF 2.22

178.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.78 KYD 6.38

$5.67 CHF 4.47

37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$5.30 KYD 4.35

$2.26 CHF 1.78

134.51%

Onion (1kg)

$5.41 KYD 4.44

$2.05 CHF 1.62

163.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.37 KYD 5.22

$2.51 CHF 1.98

153.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 KYD 2.39

$1.52 CHF 1.20

92.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.42 KYD 11.82

$10.41 CHF 8.21

38.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.05 KYD 20.54

$10.64 CHF 8.39

135.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 KYD 3.30

$2.23 CHF 1.76

80.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 KYD 4.25

$2.20 CHF 1.73

135.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 KYD 1.96

$4.19 CHF 3.30

-42.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.50 KYD 25.01

$149 CHF 118

-79.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$18.37 KYD 15.06

$8.66 CHF 6.83

112.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.89 KYD 4.01

$5.60 CHF 4.41

-12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 KYD 49.65

$87.4 CHF 68.9

-30.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 KYD 1.44

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-20.00%

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

$39.3K KYD 32.2K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-1.22%

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

$33.7K KYD 27.6K

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

-18.79%

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

$398 KYD 326

$251 CHF 198

58.69%

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

$97.7 KYD 80.1

$42.50 CHF 33.51

129.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$109 KYD 89.0

$59.9 CHF 47.20

81.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 KYD 86.0

$66.3 CHF 52.3

58.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.53 KYD 33.24

$41.53 CHF 32.74

-2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 KYD 14.55

$22.96 CHF 18.10

-22.74%

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

$1,747 KYD 1,433

$3,147 CHF 2,481

-44.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K KYD 20.5K

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 KYD 75.2

$92.7 CHF 73.1

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.9 KYD 59.0

$53.1 CHF 41.85

35.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 KYD 123

$113 CHF 88.9

32.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 KYD 122

$172 CHF 136

-13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 KYD 2,328

$1,310 CHF 1,033

116.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,527 KYD 2,072

$1,029 CHF 811

145.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,662 KYD 4,643

$2,440 CHF 1,924

132.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,683 KYD 3,840

$2,082 CHF 1,641

124.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,623 KYD 7,071

$10.6K CHF 8,330

-18.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,256 KYD 1,850

$12.6K CHF 9,910

-82.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,737 KYD 6,344

$7,301 CHF 5,756

5.96%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,839 in George Town versus $1,310 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 6% 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 $106 in Aarau. Groceries tell a different story – $628 in George Town vs $636 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 55% 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 $6,903 per month in George Town and $4,443 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 389% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,747 per month in George Town and $3,147 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 $4,602 in George Town and $2,962 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.