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: $3,626 in Honolulu, HI versus $3,393 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,671 in Honolulu, HI versus $4,946 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,716 in Honolulu, HI versus $6,499 in Buchs.

Living in Honolulu, HI is roughly 7% more expensive than Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honolulu, HI 171% above, Buchs 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.12 $23.12

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-22.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$108 CHF 84.5

-6.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.22 $15.22

$11.50 CHF 9.02

32.35%

Cappuccino

$6.78 $6.78

$3.57 CHF 2.80

89.92%

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

$3.78 $3.78

$2.47 CHF 1.94

53.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.08 CHF 1.63

33.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$4.69 CHF 3.68

71.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$5.23 CHF 4.10

71.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.74 CHF 1.37

16.09%

White Bread (500g)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.14 CHF 2.46

118.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$4.07 CHF 3.19

147.17%

Eggs

$7.61 $7.61

$4.89 CHF 3.83

55.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.49 $30.49

$30.23 CHF 23.70

0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$14.82 CHF 11.62

29.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$51.8 CHF 40.60

-62.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.73 CHF 2.93

89.01%

Banana (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.07 CHF 1.62

104.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$2.98 CHF 2.33

113.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.41 $8.41

$6.21 CHF 4.87

35.43%

Potato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.38 CHF 1.87

116.39%

Onion (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.45 CHF 1.92

87.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.56 CHF 2.01

92.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.23 CHF 0.97

151.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.21 CHF 8.79

7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.11 $20.11

$13.76 CHF 10.79

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.43 CHF 1.91

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 $5.70

$3.35 CHF 2.62

70.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.44 CHF 1.91

24.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.4 $80.4

$87.4 CHF 68.5

-8.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$8.19 CHF 6.42

-58.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.37 CHF 2.64

-22.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.31 $44.31

$88.5 CHF 69.4

-49.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.17 CHF 1.70

-43.32%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$30.8K CHF 24.2K

-3.27%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$42.3K CHF 33.1K

-41.78%

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

$237 $237

$185 CHF 145

27.86%

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

$65.5 $65.5

$42.34 CHF 33.20

54.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$56.5 CHF 44.31

19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 $57.4

$147 CHF 116

-61.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.45 $28.45

$17.39 CHF 13.63

63.60%

Cinema Ticket

$15.80 $15.80

$14.99 CHF 11.75

5.40%

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

$1,529 $1,529

$2,868 CHF 2,249

-46.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$33.8K CHF 26.5K

-40.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$138 CHF 108

-58.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 $59.4

$75.5 CHF 59.2

-21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$134 CHF 105

-19.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$162 CHF 127

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 $2,063

$1,839 CHF 1,442

12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,844 $1,844

$1,597 CHF 1,252

15.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,152 $4,152

$2,761 CHF 2,165

50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,701 $3,701

$2,427 CHF 1,903

52.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,929 $8,929

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,207 $7,207

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,134 $4,134

$9,225 CHF 7,233

-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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Buchs: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,063 in Honolulu, HI and $1,839 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: $101 in Honolulu, HI vs $108 in Buchs. Groceries flip the comparison at $679 vs $562, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($3,626 vs $3,393 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: $2,063 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,839 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 $108 versus $101 in Honolulu, HI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,626 per month in Honolulu, HI versus $3,393 in Buchs – a 7% 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 7% less than in Honolulu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.