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: $3,694 in Honolulu, HI versus $3,289 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,680 in Honolulu, HI versus $4,945 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,665 in Honolulu, HI versus $6,600 in Buchs.

Living in Honolulu, HI is roughly 12% more expensive than Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honolulu, HI 176% above, Buchs 145% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.66 $23.66

$29.59 CHF 23.57

-20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$105 CHF 83.6

-4.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.85 $14.85

$11.57 CHF 9.22

28.35%

Cappuccino

$6.95 $6.95

$3.44 CHF 2.74

102.03%

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

$3.61 $3.61

$2.51 CHF 2.00

43.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.98 CHF 1.58

42.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$4.51 CHF 3.60

76.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.24 CHF 4.17

68.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.69 CHF 1.35

25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$6.62 $6.62

$3.01 CHF 2.40

119.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$4.04 CHF 3.21

149.50%

Eggs

$7.70 $7.70

$4.83 CHF 3.85

59.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.16 $30.16

$30.94 CHF 24.64

-2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.27 $19.27

$14.90 CHF 11.87

29.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.54 $19.54

$50.6 CHF 40.33

-61.41%

Apples (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$3.59 CHF 2.86

89.14%

Banana (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.11 CHF 1.68

103.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.64 $6.64

$2.94 CHF 2.34

125.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.48 $8.48

$6.15 CHF 4.90

37.89%

Potato (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.43 CHF 1.93

113.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.41 CHF 1.92

85.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.70 CHF 2.15

79.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.28 CHF 1.02

139.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$11.08 CHF 8.82

8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.68 $19.68

$14.16 CHF 11.28

38.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.42 CHF 1.93

4.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.43 CHF 2.73

63.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.49 CHF 1.99

20.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.5 $78.5

$86.2 CHF 68.6

-8.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$7.91 CHF 6.30

-56.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.50 CHF 2.79

-23.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.96 $43.96

$89.3 CHF 71.1

-50.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.17 CHF 1.73

-43.32%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$30.4K CHF 24.2K

-1.86%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$42.2K CHF 33.6K

-42.54%

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

$235 $235

$185 CHF 147

27.00%

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

$65.4 $65.4

$42.94 CHF 34.20

52.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$55.4 CHF 44.14

23.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$150 CHF 119

-61.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.46 $28.46

$17.44 CHF 13.89

63.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 $15.73

$14.57 CHF 11.61

7.96%

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

$1,495 $1,495

$2,906 CHF 2,315

-48.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K $20.6K

$33.7K CHF 26.8K

-38.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$137 CHF 109

-58.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 $60.4

$78.5 CHF 62.6

-23.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$134 CHF 106

-21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$162 CHF 129

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 $2,079

$1,823 CHF 1,452

14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 $1,877

$1,576 CHF 1,255

19.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,209 $4,209

$2,784 CHF 2,218

51.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,676 $3,676

$2,489 CHF 1,983

47.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,642 $8,642

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,224 $7,224

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,082 $4,082

$9,109 CHF 7,256

-55.19%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buchs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,079 in Honolulu, HI and $1,823 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 123% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Honolulu, HI vs $105 in Buchs. Groceries flip the comparison at $677 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 12% in total monthly costs ($3,694 vs $3,289 including rent). Buchs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 123% less. 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: $2,079 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,823 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 $105 versus $100 in Honolulu, HI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,694 per month in Honolulu, HI versus $3,289 in Buchs – a 12% 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 12% less than in Honolulu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.