Cost of Living Comparison Between Glarus and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Glarus and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,410 per month in Glarus vs $4,177 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,117 per month in Glarus vs $6,255 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,823 per month in Glarus vs $8,333 in Geneva, rent included.

Glarus is about 18% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Glarus and Geneva sit above the global median – Glarus by 148%, Geneva by 204%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.52 CHF 24.00

$30.77 CHF 25.02

-4.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.0

$133 CHF 108

-8.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.78

$18.66 CHF 15.17

-2.57%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.01

$6.56 CHF 5.33

-5.95%

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

$3.79 CHF 3.08

$4.98 CHF 4.05

-23.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CHF 3.19

$4.25 CHF 3.46

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.45 CHF 7.68

$9.63 CHF 7.83

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 CHF 5.18

$9.97 CHF 8.10

-36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$2.39 CHF 1.94

-8.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 CHF 2.68

$3.50 CHF 2.84

-5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.36

$3.33 CHF 2.71

-12.91%

Eggs

$7.86 CHF 6.39

$8.08 CHF 6.57

-2.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 CHF 7.22

$25.34 CHF 20.60

-64.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.68 CHF 11.93

$29.32 CHF 23.84

-49.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.60 CHF 32.20

$42.61 CHF 34.64

-7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.58

$3.46 CHF 2.82

-8.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$1.75 CHF 1.42

-5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.94

$2.80 CHF 2.28

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 CHF 4.50

$4.74 CHF 3.85

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.37

$1.61 CHF 1.31

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$2.13 CHF 1.73

8.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 1.00

$1.73 CHF 1.41

-28.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.88

$11.15 CHF 9.06

-1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 CHF 9.21

$12.17 CHF 9.90

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$3.43 CHF 2.78

-37.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$3.51 CHF 2.85

-32.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.33 CHF 5.15

$3.64 CHF 2.96

73.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$227 CHF 184

$91.7 CHF 74.6

147.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.72 CHF 5.47

$7.50 CHF 6.09

-10.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.85 CHF 3.95

$4.06 CHF 3.30

19.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 65.0

$65.7 CHF 53.4

21.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-6.36%

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

$35.7K CHF 29.0K

$39.5K CHF 32.1K

-9.56%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

$40.4K CHF 32.9K

-1.36%

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

$324 CHF 263

$288 CHF 234

12.40%

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

$38.59 CHF 31.37

$38.71 CHF 31.47

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CHF 44.51

$57.0 CHF 46.33

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$167 CHF 135

$78.6 CHF 63.9

111.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.68 CHF 34.70

$45.32 CHF 36.84

-5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$25.71 CHF 20.90

$24.59 CHF 19.99

4.55%

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

$2,370 CHF 1,927

$2,455 CHF 1,996

-3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

$36.0K CHF 29.2K

-9.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 CHF 84.9

$139 CHF 113

-24.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 CHF 35.26

$80.4 CHF 65.3

-46.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 CHF 110

$170 CHF 138

-20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CHF 81.9

$192 CHF 156

-47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CHF 1,432

$2,828 CHF 2,299

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 CHF 1,144

$2,136 CHF 1,736

-34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,052 CHF 2,482

$4,724 CHF 3,840

-35.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 CHF 1,899

$3,738 CHF 3,039

-37.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,375 CHF 5,996

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

1.98

6.06%

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

Last update for Glarus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Geneva: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,762 in Glarus versus $2,828 in Geneva. 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 $122 in Glarus versus $133 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $605 – making Glarus 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

Glarus vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 22%, 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 $5,115 per month in Glarus and $6,266 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $122 in Glarus and $133 in Geneva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,410 in Glarus and $4,177 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Glarus – 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 Glarus. 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.