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: $1,897 in Nelson versus $3,573 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,922 in Nelson versus $5,324 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,948 in Nelson versus $7,074 in Thun.

Living in Nelson costs roughly 47% less than in Thun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson 38% above, Thun 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.61 NZ$24.83

$29.64 CHF 23.93

-50.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.9 NZ$117

$126 CHF 102

-45.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 NZ$15.31

$16.30 CHF 13.17

-44.72%

Cappuccino

$3.46 NZ$5.88

$6.70 CHF 5.41

-48.36%

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

$1.83 NZ$3.10

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-71.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$6.26 CHF 5.05

-70.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 NZ$13.39

$9.23 CHF 7.46

-14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 NZ$10.01

$8.29 CHF 6.70

-28.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-16.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 NZ$3.72

$3.01 CHF 2.43

-27.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$3.40 CHF 2.74

-42.35%

Eggs

$5.94 NZ$10.08

$8.04 CHF 6.50

-26.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 NZ$16.37

$25.49 CHF 20.58

-62.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 NZ$13.61

$28.69 CHF 23.16

-72.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 NZ$24.09

$39.66 CHF 32.02

-64.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 NZ$5.42

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-12.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 NZ$3.85

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 NZ$5.47

$2.97 CHF 2.40

8.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 NZ$10.43

$4.79 CHF 3.87

28.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.87

$1.56 CHF 1.26

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 NZ$2.20

$2.07 CHF 1.68

-37.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.74

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-5.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.89

$1.36 CHF 1.10

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.63 NZ$45.24

$11.81 CHF 9.53

125.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 NZ$17.35

$12.56 CHF 10.14

-18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 NZ$5.52

$2.24 CHF 1.81

45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 NZ$5.10

$2.92 CHF 2.36

2.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 NZ$4.11

$4.39 CHF 3.54

-44.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CHF 83.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$8.04 CHF 6.49

-76.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NZ$3.28

$4.60 CHF 3.72

-58.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.90 NZ$59.3

$86.6 CHF 69.9

-59.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.79

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-31.38%

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

$17.8K NZ$30.2K

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

-59.89%

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

$23.6K NZ$40.0K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-41.96%

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

$136 NZ$230

$306 CHF 247

-55.67%

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

$33.60 NZ$57.1

$53.9 CHF 43.55

-37.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.87 NZ$71.1

$65.1 CHF 52.6

-35.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 NZ$101

$95.3 CHF 76.9

-37.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.72 NZ$60.7

$46.55 CHF 37.59

-23.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 NZ$18.98

$23.69 CHF 19.13

-52.85%

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

$483 NZ$820

$3,089 CHF 2,494

-84.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.2K

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

-57.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 NZ$95.5

$153 CHF 123

-63.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.29 NZ$51.5

$82.9 CHF 67.0

-63.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$180

$166 CHF 134

-36.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$245

$202 CHF 163

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 NZ$1,806

$1,816 CHF 1,466

-41.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 NZ$1,445

$1,512 CHF 1,221

-43.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 NZ$3,035

$2,925 CHF 2,362

-38.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,565

$2,496 CHF 2,016

-39.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,460 NZ$2,480

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

-91.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$905 NZ$1,538

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-92.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,133 NZ$3,623

$6,082 CHF 4,911

-64.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

2.43

121.81%

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

Last update for Nelson: August 30, 2026

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Nelson and $1,816 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 185% 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: $69.0 in Nelson vs $126 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $583 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 88% 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, salaries run 185% lower in Thun. 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: $1,063 in Nelson versus $1,816 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $483 in Nelson versus $3,089 in Thun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nelson – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $126 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,897 in Nelson versus $3,573 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 88% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.