Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,925 per month in Mendrisio vs $4,080 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,848 per month in Mendrisio vs $6,404 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,771 per month in Mendrisio vs $8,728 in Geneva, rent included.

Mendrisio is about 28% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mendrisio and Geneva sit above the global median – Mendrisio by 119%, Geneva by 205%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.74 CHF 24.85

$36.40 CHF 29.43

-15.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$186 CHF 151

$150 CHF 121

24.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 15.20

$18.14 CHF 14.67

3.64%

Cappuccino

$4.34 CHF 3.51

$5.76 CHF 4.66

-24.65%

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

$4.29 CHF 3.47

$5.48 CHF 4.43

-21.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$4.77 CHF 3.86

-23.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CHF 4.94

$10.05 CHF 8.12

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CHF 4.89

$8.76 CHF 7.08

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CHF 1.02

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-42.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.90

$3.91 CHF 3.16

-8.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$4.45 CHF 3.59

10.56%

Eggs

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$7.55 CHF 6.10

-51.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.96 CHF 21.80

$26.83 CHF 21.69

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.25 CHF 12.33

$33.39 CHF 26.99

-54.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.08 CHF 38.07

$52.3 CHF 42.24

-9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.56

$3.53 CHF 2.85

-10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.50 CHF 2.02

-18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.01

$3.09 CHF 2.50

-19.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$6.36 CHF 5.14

-13.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.64 CHF 2.13

-17.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.31 CHF 1.87

0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.09

$2.57 CHF 2.07

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.00

$1.33 CHF 1.07

-6.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.94

$10.89 CHF 8.81

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CHF 10.22

$12.08 CHF 9.76

4.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$3.25 CHF 2.63

-19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CHF 3.40

$3.75 CHF 3.04

12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$3.73 CHF 3.02

-12.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$85.7 CHF 69.3

13.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 CHF 5.40

$7.40 CHF 5.98

-9.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$3.54 CHF 2.86

22.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 CHF 49.66

$65.0 CHF 52.5

-5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.19 CHF 1.77

1.37%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

2.11%

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

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

$50.2K CHF 40.6K

-26.36%

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

$203 CHF 164

$261 CHF 211

-22.11%

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

$29.66 CHF 23.98

$48.55 CHF 39.25

-38.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.56 CHF 40.07

$64.3 CHF 52.0

-22.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$80.0 CHF 64.7

-6.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.15

Cinema Ticket

$18.57 CHF 15.01

$24.25 CHF 19.60

-23.42%

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

$1,255 CHF 1,015

$3,487 CHF 2,819

-63.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

$33.3K CHF 26.9K

4.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 99.5

$140 CHF 113

-11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 CHF 38.21

$80.9 CHF 65.4

-41.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$165 CHF 134

-20.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 CHF 123

$215 CHF 174

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 CHF 1,139

$2,358 CHF 1,907

-40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CHF 998

$2,048 CHF 1,655

-39.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,856 CHF 2,309

$4,672 CHF 3,778

-38.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 2,001

$3,893 CHF 3,148

-36.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,924 CHF 5,598

$7,277 CHF 5,883

-4.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.46

1.63%

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

Last update for Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Last update for Geneva: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,409 in Mendrisio versus $2,358 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 5% higher in Geneva, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $186 in Mendrisio versus $150 in Geneva. Groceries tell a different story – $530 in Mendrisio vs $676 in Geneva – so Mendrisio 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

Mendrisio vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,387 per month in Mendrisio and $6,120 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 28% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $186 in Mendrisio and $150 in Geneva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,925 in Mendrisio and $4,080 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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