Cost of Living Comparison Between Honolulu, HI and Buchs Cost of Living Comparison Between Honolulu, HI and Buchs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,681 in Honolulu, HI versus $3,379 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,625 in Honolulu, HI versus $5,057 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,569 in Honolulu, HI versus $6,734 in Buchs.

Living in Honolulu, HI is roughly 9% more expensive than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honolulu, HI 175% above, Buchs 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.16 $23.16

$29.39 CHF 23.93

-21.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$131 CHF 106

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$11.89 CHF 9.68

23.72%

Cappuccino

$6.86 $6.86

$3.57 CHF 2.91

92.16%

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

$3.78 $3.78

$2.52 CHF 2.05

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.09 CHF 1.70

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$4.50 CHF 3.66

80.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$5.23 CHF 4.26

68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.75 CHF 1.42

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$6.53 $6.53

$3.03 CHF 2.47

115.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$4.22 CHF 3.43

138.39%

Eggs

$7.61 $7.61

$5.07 CHF 4.12

50.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.72 $30.72

$30.56 CHF 24.88

0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.93 $18.93

$14.87 CHF 12.11

27.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 $19.94

$50.6 CHF 41.17

-60.56%

Apples (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.80 CHF 3.10

87.37%

Banana (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.04 CHF 1.66

103.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$2.85 CHF 2.32

122.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$6.46 CHF 5.26

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.39 CHF 1.94

111.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.39 CHF 1.94

87.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.68 CHF 2.18

77.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.28 CHF 1.04

147.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$11.24 CHF 9.15

7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.10 $18.10

$12.88 CHF 10.48

40.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.39 CHF 1.94

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.30 CHF 2.69

69.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.50 CHF 2.04

22.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.3 $79.3

$87.1 CHF 70.9

-8.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$7.93 CHF 6.46

-56.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.55 CHF 2.89

-28.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.09 $45.09

$89.5 CHF 72.8

-49.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.12 CHF 1.73

-40.09%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$31.3K CHF 25.5K

-2.76%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$42.9K CHF 35.0K

-43.09%

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

$231 $231

$183 CHF 149

26.50%

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

$65.1 $65.1

$43.01 CHF 35.02

51.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$55.7 CHF 45.32

18.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 $58.3

$146 CHF 119

-60.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.57 $28.57

$17.33 CHF 14.11

64.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 $15.82

$14.75 CHF 12.01

7.25%

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

$1,507 $1,507

$2,961 CHF 2,411

-49.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K $20.4K

$32.9K CHF 26.8K

-37.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$141 CHF 115

-60.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 $59.0

$77.1 CHF 62.7

-23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$133 CHF 109

-21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$159 CHF 129

-19.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,073 $2,073

$1,850 CHF 1,506

12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 $1,880

$1,588 CHF 1,293

18.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,216 $4,216

$2,744 CHF 2,234

53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 $3,637

$2,496 CHF 2,032

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,984 $8,984

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,321 $7,321

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,167 $4,167

$8,815 CHF 7,177

-52.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

229.50%

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

Last update for Honolulu, HI: July 19, 2026

Last update for Buchs: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,073 in Honolulu, HI and $1,850 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Honolulu, HI vs $131 in Buchs. Groceries flip the comparison at $671 vs $560, with Buchs cheaper for home cooking.

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

Honolulu, HI vs Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Honolulu, HI and Buchs differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,681 vs $3,379 including rent). Buchs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 112% lower in Buchs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,073 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,850 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Buchs – a meal for two runs $131 versus $101 in Honolulu, HI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,681 per month in Honolulu, HI versus $3,379 in Buchs – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Buchs is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Honolulu, HI and Buchs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Buchs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Honolulu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.