Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Bern Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Bern

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,058 in Montreux versus $3,430 in Bern.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,760 in Montreux versus $5,248 in Bern.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,462 in Montreux versus $7,066 in Bern.

Living in Montreux is roughly 18% more expensive than Bern, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 203% above, Bern 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 CHF 23.85

$27.70 CHF 21.84

9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$107 CHF 84.6

39.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.89 CHF 14.90

$17.47 CHF 13.78

8.13%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.74

$5.86 CHF 4.62

2.73%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$4.83 CHF 3.81

15.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CHF 3.74

$4.64 CHF 3.66

2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.58

$8.38 CHF 6.61

14.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.67 CHF 6.84

$6.26 CHF 4.93

38.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.22 CHF 1.75

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 CHF 3.00

$3.27 CHF 2.58

16.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CHF 3.48

$4.15 CHF 3.27

6.27%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.55

$7.10 CHF 5.60

-0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.06 CHF 22.91

$27.95 CHF 22.04

3.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.44 CHF 22.42

$35.50 CHF 27.98

-19.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.85 CHF 34.57

$41.05 CHF 32.36

6.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CHF 3.16

$3.55 CHF 2.80

12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.28

$2.74 CHF 2.16

5.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.05

$6.99 CHF 5.51

-8.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$2.24 CHF 1.77

41.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$2.15 CHF 1.69

13.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.42 CHF 1.91

4.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.24

$1.14 CHF 0.90

37.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.59

$11.39 CHF 8.98

-4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 CHF 11.17

$12.80 CHF 10.09

10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.60

$1.96 CHF 1.55

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.39

$2.35 CHF 1.85

29.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$3.59 CHF 2.83

12.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 CHF 70.6

$99.0 CHF 78.0

-9.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 CHF 6.37

$7.86 CHF 6.19

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$4.47 CHF 3.52

-7.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.7 CHF 52.6

$90.9 CHF 71.6

-26.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.14 CHF 1.69

5.61%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$40.6K CHF 32.0K

-1.85%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

$56.6K CHF 44.6K

-25.90%

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

$308 CHF 243

$367 CHF 289

-15.98%

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

$50.1 CHF 39.46

$59.9 CHF 47.22

-16.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.81

$59.0 CHF 46.51

-1.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 63.4

$82.5 CHF 65.0

-2.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.99 CHF 29.16

$47.41 CHF 37.38

-21.98%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 CHF 17.81

$24.55 CHF 19.36

-8.02%

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

$2,617 CHF 2,064

$3,417 CHF 2,694

-23.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-14.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 86.0

$149 CHF 118

-26.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.1

$67.9 CHF 53.6

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 139

$177 CHF 140

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$186 CHF 147

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 CHF 1,717

$1,853 CHF 1,461

17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CHF 1,582

$1,264 CHF 996

58.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,327 CHF 2,623

$3,301 CHF 2,603

0.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 CHF 2,167

$2,367 CHF 1,866

16.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

$16.3K CHF 12.8K

2.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,808 CHF 6,944

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

-31.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,425 CHF 6,642

$7,193 CHF 5,671

17.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.52

-0.79%

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

Last update for Montreux: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bern: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,177 in Montreux and $1,853 in Bern. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $149 in Montreux vs $107 in Bern. Groceries flip the comparison at $632 vs $636, with Montreux 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

Montreux vs Bern: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bern wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Montreux. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bern the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Montreux pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,177 in Montreux versus $1,853 in Bern. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bern – a meal for two runs $107 versus $149 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,058 per month in Montreux versus $3,430 in Bern – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Bern is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bern delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,430 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bern hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Montreux and Bern 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 Bern gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.