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: $2,031 in Nelson versus $3,525 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,093 in Nelson versus $5,293 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,155 in Nelson versus $7,060 in Thun.

Living in Nelson costs roughly 42% less than in Thun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson 52% above, Thun 163% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.08 NZ$35.90

$28.21 CHF 22.26

-25.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 NZ$146

$124 CHF 97.7

-30.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 NZ$16.83

$17.30 CHF 13.66

-42.89%

Cappuccino

$3.30 NZ$5.63

$5.89 CHF 4.65

-43.97%

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

$2.62 NZ$4.47

$4.75 CHF 3.75

-44.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NZ$4.66

$4.83 CHF 3.81

-43.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 NZ$12.28

$8.48 CHF 6.69

-14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 NZ$10.36

$7.67 CHF 6.05

-20.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 NZ$4.00

$2.22 CHF 1.75

5.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$3.40 CHF 2.69

-34.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$4.13 CHF 3.26

-45.28%

Eggs

$6.09 NZ$10.37

$7.32 CHF 5.78

-16.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 NZ$17.00

$26.79 CHF 21.15

-62.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 NZ$13.43

$28.73 CHF 22.68

-72.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 NZ$26.74

$41.10 CHF 32.44

-61.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 NZ$5.96

$3.56 CHF 2.81

-1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.29

$2.15 CHF 1.70

17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NZ$5.12

$2.79 CHF 2.20

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.68 NZ$11.37

$6.33 CHF 4.99

5.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.27

$2.23 CHF 1.76

65.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$2.16 CHF 1.71

20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 NZ$4.43

$2.54 CHF 2.01

2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.20

$1.11 CHF 0.87

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.83 NZ$50.8

$11.10 CHF 8.76

168.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.97 NZ$16.98

$12.65 CHF 9.98

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.23

$1.90 CHF 1.50

61.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 NZ$7.72

$2.29 CHF 1.80

97.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 NZ$4.05

$3.83 CHF 3.02

-37.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 NZ$111

$100.0 CHF 78.9

-35.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 NZ$7.23

$7.90 CHF 6.23

-46.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 NZ$3.05

$3.30 CHF 2.61

-45.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.87 NZ$59.4

$66.2 CHF 52.3

-47.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.93

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-23.21%

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

$18.5K NZ$31.6K

$40.3K CHF 31.8K

-53.98%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.4K

$40.8K CHF 32.2K

-46.12%

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

$221 NZ$376

$366 CHF 289

-39.61%

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

$35.09 NZ$59.8

$59.6 CHF 47.00

-41.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.83 NZ$83.2

$59.2 CHF 46.75

-17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.04 NZ$81.8

$86.5 CHF 68.3

-44.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 NZ$36.59

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 NZ$16.85

$24.60 CHF 19.42

-59.80%

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

$487 NZ$829

$3,030 CHF 2,391

-83.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

$33.9K CHF 26.7K

-64.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 NZ$103

$153 CHF 120

-60.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.5 NZ$113

$69.8 CHF 55.1

-4.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NZ$222

$176 CHF 139

-25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$187

$186 CHF 147

-40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 NZ$1,685

$1,687 CHF 1,331

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 NZ$1,263

$1,473 CHF 1,162

-49.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 NZ$2,425

$2,870 CHF 2,265

-50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 NZ$2,033

$2,499 CHF 1,972

-52.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,920 NZ$6,678

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,214 NZ$5,476

$7,647 CHF 6,035

-57.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,429 NZ$4,137

$6,206 CHF 4,898

-60.87%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Thun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $989 in Nelson and $1,687 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 156% 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: $86.0 in Nelson vs $124 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $597 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 156% 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: $989 in Nelson versus $1,687 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% 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 $86.0 versus $124 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,031 in Nelson versus $3,525 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.