Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Bellinzona Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Bellinzona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,494 per month in Meilen vs $3,822 in Bellinzona, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,413 per month in Meilen vs $5,855 in Bellinzona, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,333 per month in Meilen vs $7,889 in Bellinzona, rent included.

Meilen is about 9% cheaper than Bellinzona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Meilen and Bellinzona sit above the global median – Meilen by 161%, Bellinzona by 185%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 CHF 23.86

$30.37 CHF 23.95

-0.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 116

$112 CHF 88.4

31.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 CHF 14.61

$18.75 CHF 14.79

-1.17%

Cappuccino

$6.47 CHF 5.10

$4.43 CHF 3.49

46.05%

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

$6.01 CHF 4.74

$4.85 CHF 3.82

23.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CHF 4.11

$4.19 CHF 3.30

24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.55 CHF 6.74

$7.20 CHF 5.68

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CHF 5.91

$6.34 CHF 5.00

18.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.74

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$4.01 CHF 3.16

-18.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 CHF 3.26

$5.30 CHF 4.18

-22.08%

Eggs

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$7.93 CHF 6.26

-6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.80 CHF 23.49

$28.51 CHF 22.48

4.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.74 CHF 26.60

$36.99 CHF 29.16

-8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.6 CHF 39.86

$48.13 CHF 37.95

5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$3.65 CHF 2.88

13.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.08 CHF 1.64

19.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CHF 2.39

$2.77 CHF 2.18

9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 CHF 4.03

$7.42 CHF 5.85

-31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.27 CHF 1.79

10.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.55 CHF 2.01

-9.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CHF 1.94

$2.65 CHF 2.09

-6.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.89

$1.67 CHF 1.31

-32.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.72

$11.10 CHF 8.75

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 CHF 12.20

$19.21 CHF 15.14

-19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$4.08 CHF 3.22

-47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CHF 1.79

$4.29 CHF 3.38

-46.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.03

$6.26 CHF 4.93

-38.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 CHF 77.9

$97.7 CHF 77.0

1.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 CHF 5.43

$6.88 CHF 5.42

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.39

$4.35 CHF 3.43

-1.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.0 CHF 62.3

$61.2 CHF 48.27

29.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.15 CHF 1.69

6.98%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.4K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

0.09%

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

$38.7K CHF 30.5K

$37.3K CHF 29.4K

3.92%

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

$252 CHF 198

$295 CHF 233

-14.70%

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

$58.5 CHF 46.11

$67.3 CHF 53.0

-13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.09

$59.2 CHF 46.66

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 CHF 68.0

$113 CHF 89.0

-23.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.8 CHF 50.3

$65.3 CHF 51.5

-2.25%

Cinema Ticket

$27.45 CHF 21.64

$23.10 CHF 18.21

18.83%

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

$2,830 CHF 2,231

$1,866 CHF 1,471

51.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

$34.7K CHF 27.4K

14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$125 CHF 98.7

12.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 CHF 48.53

$48.78 CHF 38.46

26.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 116

$156 CHF 123

-5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 162

$189 CHF 149

8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 CHF 1,358

$1,868 CHF 1,473

-7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CHF 1,179

$1,730 CHF 1,364

-13.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,885 CHF 2,274

$2,797 CHF 2,205

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 CHF 1,953

$3,071 CHF 2,421

-19.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

$17.0K CHF 13.4K

-16.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 7,928

$12.2K CHF 9,583

-17.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,615 CHF 6,792

$6,300 CHF 4,967

36.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

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

Last update for Meilen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bellinzona: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,722 in Meilen versus $1,868 in Bellinzona. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Meilen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Meilen versus $112 in Bellinzona. Groceries tell a different story – $666 in Meilen vs $719 in Bellinzona – so Meilen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Meilen vs Bellinzona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,494 in Meilen, $3,822 in Bellinzona – roughly 9% apart. Bellinzona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,241 per month in Meilen and $5,733 in Bellinzona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meilen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,494 in Meilen and $3,822 in Bellinzona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Meilen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,494 in Meilen and $3,822 in Bellinzona. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meilen – 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 Meilen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bellinzona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.