Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,503 per month in New York, NY vs $2,941 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,077 per month in New York, NY vs $4,458 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,650 per month in New York, NY vs $5,975 in Olten, rent included.

New York, NY costs about 53% more than Olten, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both New York, NY and Olten sit above the global median – New York, NY by 236%, Olten by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.28 $30.28

$30.87 CHF 24.36

-1.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$105 CHF 82.9

35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 $12.65

$17.57 CHF 13.86

-28.00%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.47 CHF 4.31

6.22%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$5.34 CHF 4.22

-38.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.62 CHF 3.65

-44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$6.88 CHF 5.43

19.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.82 $11.82

$6.29 CHF 4.97

87.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.09 CHF 1.65

-26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$5.27 $5.27

$3.40 CHF 2.68

55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$4.12 CHF 3.26

102.43%

Eggs

$7.25 $7.25

$7.54 CHF 5.95

-3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$21.64 CHF 17.07

-20.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$25.89 CHF 20.43

-37.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.82 $19.82

$40.22 CHF 31.74

-50.72%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$4.04 CHF 3.19

87.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.40 CHF 1.90

0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.97 CHF 2.35

96.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$5.05 CHF 3.99

26.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.75 CHF 2.17

40.73%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.37 CHF 1.87

71.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.46 CHF 1.94

26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.52 CHF 1.20

61.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.26 $19.26

$10.95 CHF 8.64

75.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.96 $19.96

$15.42 CHF 12.17

29.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.15 CHF 1.70

39.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.42 CHF 1.91

54.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.93 CHF 3.10

-27.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 $134

$100 CHF 79.0

34.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$7.53 CHF 5.94

-32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$4.14 CHF 3.27

-49.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.31 $42.31

$61.5 CHF 48.53

-31.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-57.46%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

-14.62%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-29.27%

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

$181 $181

$260 CHF 205

-30.27%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$33.65 CHF 26.56

79.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$57.7 CHF 45.54

8.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$61.3 CHF 48.36

133.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.3 $65.3

$18.65 CHF 14.72

249.92%

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$24.88 CHF 19.64

-19.69%

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

$3,216 $3,216

$3,433 CHF 2,709

-6.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.2K $57.2K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

43.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$141 CHF 111

-52.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 $47.68

$61.2 CHF 48.33

-22.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$150 CHF 118

-25.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$198 CHF 156

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 $4,092

$1,248 CHF 985

227.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 $2,694

$1,063 CHF 839

153.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,445 $8,445

$1,987 CHF 1,568

325.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$1,708 CHF 1,348

200.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,299 $6,299

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,540 $5,540

$4,351 CHF 3,433

27.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

2.09

208.13%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 1, 2026

Last update for Olten: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,092 in New York, NY versus $1,248 in Olten. 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 27% higher in New York, NY, 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 $142 in New York, NY versus $105 in Olten. Groceries tell a different story – $554 in New York, NY vs $576 in Olten – so New York, NY 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

New York, NY vs Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 53% more than Olten, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,754 per month in New York, NY and $4,411 in Olten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $3,216 per month in New York, NY and $3,433 in Olten. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in New York, NY – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,503 in New York, NY and $2,941 in Olten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Olten costs $2,941 versus $4,503 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Olten. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.