Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Geneva

For one person, living is cheaper in Meilen: $3,386 a month against $4,079 in Geneva, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Geneva outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Meilen, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland
Meilen
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,386
/mo nomad
Geneva
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$4,079
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Meilen and in Geneva

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Meilen and in Geneva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,386 per month in Meilen vs $4,079 in Geneva, rent included.

  • Meilen $3,386
  • Geneva $4,079

A couple spends around $5,977 per month in Meilen vs $6,308 in Geneva, rent included.

  • Meilen $5,977
  • Geneva $6,308

A family of three spends $8,568 per month in Meilen vs $8,538 in Geneva, rent included.

  • Meilen $8,568
  • Geneva $8,538

Meilen is about 17% cheaper than Geneva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Meilen and Geneva sit above the global median – Meilen by 149%, Geneva by 200%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$32.96 CHF 27.19
$30.31 CHF 25.00
8.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 CHF 98.8
$129 CHF 107
-7.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.48 CHF 13.60
$19.47 CHF 16.06
-15.36%
Cappuccino
$6.36 CHF 5.24
$6.40 CHF 5.28
-0.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.76 CHF 4.75
$4.66 CHF 3.85
23.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25 CHF 4.33
$4.13 CHF 3.41
27.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.63 CHF 7.12
$9.82 CHF 8.10
-12.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.56 CHF 7.06
$9.87 CHF 8.14
-13.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 CHF 1.80
$2.35 CHF 1.94
-7.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.42 CHF 2.82
$3.26 CHF 2.69
4.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.74 CHF 3.08
$3.39 CHF 2.79
10.32%
Eggs
$7.85 CHF 6.48
$8.18 CHF 6.74
-4.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.09 CHF 21.52
$25.05 CHF 20.66
4.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$25.84 CHF 21.32
$29.22 CHF 24.11
-11.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.94 CHF 32.94
$42.51 CHF 35.07
-6.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.49 CHF 2.88
$3.53 CHF 2.92
-1.13%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 CHF 1.74
$1.63 CHF 1.35
29.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.71 CHF 2.24
$2.85 CHF 2.35
-4.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 CHF 3.71
$4.90 CHF 4.04
-8.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 CHF 1.71
$1.64 CHF 1.35
26.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 CHF 1.80
$2.29 CHF 1.89
-4.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 CHF 1.94
$2.19 CHF 1.81
7.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CHF 1.04
$1.66 CHF 1.37
-24.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.05 CHF 9.12
$10.97 CHF 9.05
0.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.29 CHF 10.96
$12.16 CHF 10.03
9.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 CHF 1.85
$3.21 CHF 2.65
-29.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 CHF 2.60
$3.30 CHF 2.72
-4.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.43 CHF 3.65
$3.55 CHF 2.93
24.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 CHF 84.2
$85.8 CHF 70.8
18.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.64 CHF 6.30
$7.61 CHF 6.28
0.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.50 CHF 3.71
$3.76 CHF 3.10
19.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$87.5 CHF 72.2
$64.2 CHF 52.9
36.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 CHF 1.81
$2.35 CHF 1.94
-6.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K CHF 31.9K
$39.5K CHF 32.6K
-2.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.0K CHF 32.1K
$38.8K CHF 32.0K
0.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 CHF 193
$280 CHF 231
-16.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.39 CHF 31.67
$37.96 CHF 31.31
1.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.6 CHF 53.3
$57.6 CHF 47.47
12.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$90.9 CHF 75.0
$77.0 CHF 63.5
18.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.64 CHF 37.65
$43.34 CHF 35.75
5.31%
Cinema Ticket
$23.65 CHF 19.51
$23.96 CHF 19.77
-1.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,822 CHF 2,328
$2,484 CHF 2,049
13.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$42.6K CHF 35.2K
$35.2K CHF 29.0K
21.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$138 CHF 114
$133 CHF 110
3.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.1 CHF 47.96
$79.1 CHF 65.2
-26.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$145 CHF 120
$169 CHF 139
-13.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$175 CHF 144
$188 CHF 155
-7.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,778 CHF 1,466
$2,825 CHF 2,331
-37.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,463 CHF 1,207
$2,115 CHF 1,744
-30.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,894 CHF 2,388
$5,088 CHF 4,197
-43.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,088 CHF 3,372
$3,963 CHF 3,269
3.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.4K CHF 13.5K
$22.5K CHF 18.5K
-27.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.6K CHF 10.4K
$16.3K CHF 13.5K
-22.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Meilen
Geneva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,262 CHF 6,815
$7,271 CHF 5,998
13.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.72
1.98
-13.13%

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

Last update for Meilen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Geneva: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Meilen
$1.5K
Geneva
$2.1K 44.6% $652
Groceries & Markets
Meilen
$572
Geneva
$600 4.8% $27
Eating Out
Meilen
$494
Geneva
$482 2.5% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meilen
$337
Geneva
$375 11.4% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Meilen
$232
Geneva
$256 10.3% $24
Getting Around
Meilen
$150
Geneva
$126 15.7% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Meilen
$138
Geneva
$125 9.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,778 in Meilen versus $2,825 in Geneva. 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 14% 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 $120 in Meilen versus $129 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $572 vs $600 – making Meilen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Meilen
🇨🇭 Geneva
🕒 Local time
00:54 12:54 AM
00:54 12:54 AM
Same time as Meilen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,515
191,557
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Meilen Geneva 220 km
From you
  • Meilen
  • Geneva

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meilen cheaper than Geneva?
Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,079 per month in Meilen and $6,118 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Meilen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,778 there versus $2,825 in Geneva.
How do food prices compare in Meilen and in Geneva?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Geneva, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Meilen or in Geneva?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in Meilen and $129 in Geneva. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Meilen or in Geneva?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,386 in Meilen and $4,079 in Geneva. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Meilen or in Geneva?
It depends on your priorities. Geneva has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,386 in Meilen to $4,079 in Geneva. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Meilen or Geneva?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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