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: $3,935 in Honolulu, HI versus $3,131 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,034 in Honolulu, HI versus $4,705 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,132 in Honolulu, HI versus $6,279 in Buchs.

Living in Honolulu, HI is roughly 26% more expensive than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Honolulu, HI 186% above, Buchs 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.29 $28.29

$24.41 CHF 19.75

15.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 $138

$87.8 CHF 71.0

57.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.18 $15.18

$15.70 CHF 12.70

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$9.94 $9.94

$4.65 CHF 3.77

113.76%

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

$4.63 $4.63

$3.99 CHF 3.23

16.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.26 CHF 2.64

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.81 $9.81

$6.22 CHF 5.03

57.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.06 $11.06

$5.59 CHF 4.52

97.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.06 CHF 1.66

12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$7.82 $7.82

$4.03 CHF 3.26

94.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.99 $9.99

$4.70 CHF 3.80

112.55%

Eggs

$8.79 $8.79

$7.49 CHF 6.06

17.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.58 $28.58

$33.16 CHF 26.83

-13.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$18.51 CHF 14.97

5.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 $21.36

$33.43 CHF 27.05

-36.11%

Apples (1kg)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.50 CHF 2.83

132.57%

Banana (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.29 CHF 1.86

131.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.23 CHF 2.61

110.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$6.98 CHF 5.65

34.67%

Potato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.81 CHF 1.46

173.48%

Onion (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.69 CHF 2.17

71.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.61 CHF 2.11

95.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.24 CHF 1.00

149.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.31 $12.31

$11.24 CHF 9.09

9.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 $17.87

$13.38 CHF 10.83

33.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.16 CHF 2.56

-11.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.00 CHF 3.24

46.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$5.16 CHF 4.18

-42.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 $90.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-36.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.45 CHF 2.79

-22.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.09 $45.09

$60.9 CHF 49.28

-25.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-41.05%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$43.4K CHF 35.1K

-18.43%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-32.77%

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

$245 $245

$183 CHF 148

33.94%

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

$68.7 $68.7

$32.10 CHF 25.97

113.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$69.1 CHF 55.9

-7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 $63.9

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.67 $31.67

Cinema Ticket

$19.80 $19.80

$15.71 CHF 12.71

26.03%

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

$2,147 $2,147

$620 CHF 501

246.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K $27.2K

$20.9K CHF 16.9K

30.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$111 CHF 89.5

-42.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.05 $47.05

$24.98 CHF 20.21

88.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$99.0 CHF 80.1

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$175 CHF 141

-23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 $2,884

$1,827 CHF 1,478

57.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,964 $1,964

$1,623 CHF 1,313

21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,939 $4,939

$2,796 CHF 2,262

76.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,617 $3,617

$2,828 CHF 2,288

27.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,805 $8,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,241 $7,241

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,171 $4,171

$8,717 CHF 7,052

-52.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

1.93

224.35%

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

Last update for Honolulu, HI: September 1, 2026

Last update for Buchs: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,884 in Honolulu, HI and $1,827 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 109% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $138 in Honolulu, HI vs $88.0 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $714 vs $568 per month, with Buchs cheaper across the board.

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 26% in total monthly costs ($3,935 vs $3,131 including rent). Buchs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 109% 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: $2,884 in Honolulu, HI versus $1,827 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,147 in Honolulu, HI versus $620 in Buchs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Buchs – a meal for two runs $88.0 versus $138 in Honolulu, HI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 26% less than in Honolulu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.