Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Nelson and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,037 in Nelson versus $3,548 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,100 in Nelson versus $5,381 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,162 in Nelson versus $7,214 in Thun.

Living in Nelson costs roughly 43% less than in Thun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson 51% above, Thun 163% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.23 NZ$36.10

$27.75 CHF 21.73

-23.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.1 NZ$143

$122 CHF 95.8

-31.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 NZ$16.22

$17.27 CHF 13.52

-44.76%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.49

$5.81 CHF 4.55

-44.41%

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

$2.58 NZ$4.39

$4.82 CHF 3.77

-46.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 NZ$4.52

$4.65 CHF 3.64

-42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.51

$8.38 CHF 6.56

-12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.19 NZ$10.53

$7.75 CHF 6.07

-20.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 NZ$3.98

$2.24 CHF 1.75

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 NZ$3.89

$3.38 CHF 2.65

-32.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-45.50%

Eggs

$6.04 NZ$10.27

$7.14 CHF 5.59

-15.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 NZ$16.75

$26.35 CHF 20.63

-62.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.71

$28.15 CHF 22.04

-71.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 NZ$27.35

$40.83 CHF 31.97

-60.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 NZ$6.03

$3.42 CHF 2.68

3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 NZ$4.44

$2.16 CHF 1.69

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.13

$2.82 CHF 2.21

7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.50 NZ$11.05

$6.40 CHF 5.01

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 NZ$6.23

$2.26 CHF 1.77

62.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.26

$2.16 CHF 1.69

16.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NZ$4.38

$2.51 CHF 1.97

2.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.09

$1.09 CHF 0.86

12.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.35 NZ$51.6

$10.98 CHF 8.60

176.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 NZ$17.37

$12.83 CHF 10.05

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 NZ$5.26

$1.96 CHF 1.54

58.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NZ$7.53

$2.27 CHF 1.78

95.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 NZ$4.12

$3.88 CHF 3.04

-37.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 NZ$108

$99.0 CHF 77.6

-35.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 NZ$7.25

$7.77 CHF 6.08

-45.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 NZ$3.00

$3.31 CHF 2.59

-46.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.80 NZ$60.9

$65.8 CHF 51.5

-45.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.90

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-20.09%

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

$18.7K NZ$31.7K

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

-54.32%

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

$22.7K NZ$38.7K

$41.8K CHF 32.7K

-45.60%

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

$217 NZ$368

$370 CHF 290

-41.42%

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

$35.23 NZ$59.9

$59.3 CHF 46.46

-40.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 NZ$86.2

$57.8 CHF 45.22

-12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.17 NZ$83.6

$87.1 CHF 68.2

-43.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 NZ$36.57

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 NZ$16.55

$24.98 CHF 19.56

-61.01%

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

$488 NZ$830

$3,021 CHF 2,365

-83.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.5K

$33.4K CHF 26.2K

-63.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 NZ$101

$149 CHF 117

-60.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 NZ$114

$69.3 CHF 54.2

-2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NZ$222

$176 CHF 138

-26.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 NZ$191

$183 CHF 143

-38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 NZ$1,676

$1,684 CHF 1,319

-41.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 NZ$1,238

$1,447 CHF 1,133

-49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,463

$2,888 CHF 2,261

-49.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 NZ$2,062

$2,442 CHF 1,912

-50.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,926 NZ$6,674

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,098 NZ$5,266

$7,747 CHF 6,066

-60.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,093 NZ$3,558

$6,547 CHF 5,126

-68.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

2.5

172.80%

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

Last update for Nelson: April 12, 2026

Last update for Thun: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Nelson and $1,684 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 213% 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: $84 in Nelson vs $122 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $591 per month, with Nelson 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

Nelson vs Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nelson wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Thun. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nelson the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Thun earns 213% less. 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: $986 in Nelson versus $1,684 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Thun. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nelson – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $122 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,037 in Nelson versus $3,548 in Thun, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nelson but tight or insufficient in Thun. The gap between the two cities makes Nelson the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Nelson and Thun 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 Nelson gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.