Cost of Living Comparison Between Glarus and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Glarus and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,410 per month in Glarus vs $3,432 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,117 per month in Glarus vs $6,009 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,823 per month in Glarus vs $8,587 in Meilen, rent included.

Glarus is about 1% cheaper than Meilen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Glarus and Meilen sit above the global median – Glarus by 148%, Meilen by 150%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.52 CHF 24.00

$31.03 CHF 25.22

-4.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.0

$122 CHF 99.3

-0.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.78

$16.91 CHF 13.75

7.51%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.01

$6.59 CHF 5.35

-6.37%

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

$3.79 CHF 3.08

$5.82 CHF 4.73

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CHF 3.19

$5.37 CHF 4.36

-27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.45 CHF 7.68

$8.83 CHF 7.18

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 CHF 5.18

$8.97 CHF 7.29

-28.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 CHF 2.68

$3.44 CHF 2.80

-4.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.36

$3.99 CHF 3.24

-27.32%

Eggs

$7.86 CHF 6.39

$8.14 CHF 6.62

-3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 CHF 7.22

$27.70 CHF 22.52

-67.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.68 CHF 11.93

$26.04 CHF 21.17

-43.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.60 CHF 32.20

$41.39 CHF 33.65

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.58

$3.69 CHF 3.00

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$2.12 CHF 1.72

-22.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.94

$2.70 CHF 2.19

-11.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 CHF 4.50

$4.65 CHF 3.78

18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.37

$2.03 CHF 1.65

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.25 CHF 1.83

-4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$2.50 CHF 2.04

-7.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 1.00

$1.30 CHF 1.06

-5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.88

$11.11 CHF 9.03

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 CHF 9.21

$13.63 CHF 11.08

-16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.31 CHF 1.88

-6.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.87 CHF 2.33

-17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.33 CHF 5.15

$4.38 CHF 3.56

44.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$227 CHF 184

$104 CHF 84.2

119.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.72 CHF 5.47

$8.00 CHF 6.50

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.85 CHF 3.95

$4.70 CHF 3.82

3.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 65.0

$88.6 CHF 72.0

-9.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-3.07%

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

$35.7K CHF 29.0K

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

-12.37%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

$41.3K CHF 33.6K

-3.40%

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

$324 CHF 263

$209 CHF 170

54.55%

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

$38.59 CHF 31.37

$39.15 CHF 31.83

-1.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CHF 44.51

$67.4 CHF 54.8

-18.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$167 CHF 135

$93.6 CHF 76.1

78.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.68 CHF 34.70

$46.36 CHF 37.69

-7.94%

Cinema Ticket

$25.71 CHF 20.90

$22.36 CHF 18.18

14.98%

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

$2,370 CHF 1,927

$2,888 CHF 2,348

-17.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

$42.4K CHF 34.4K

-22.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 CHF 84.9

$141 CHF 115

-25.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 CHF 35.26

$60.1 CHF 48.83

-27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 CHF 110

$153 CHF 124

-11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CHF 81.9

$175 CHF 142

-42.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CHF 1,432

$1,786 CHF 1,452

-1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 CHF 1,144

$1,480 CHF 1,203

-4.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,052 CHF 2,482

$2,927 CHF 2,380

4.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 CHF 1,899

$4,153 CHF 3,377

-43.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.7K CHF 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,450 CHF 6,870

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

1.72

22.09%

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

Last update for Glarus: August 30, 2026

Last update for Meilen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,762 in Glarus versus $1,786 in Meilen. 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 $122 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $589 – 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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Meilen is pricier by about 1%, 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 $5,148 in Meilen. 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.

Public transport costs about 119% less in Glarus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,370 per month in Glarus and $2,888 in Meilen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,410 in Glarus and $3,432 in Meilen. 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, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.