Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,169 per month in Olten vs $4,177 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,940 per month in Olten vs $6,255 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Olten vs $8,333 in Geneva, rent included.

Olten is about 24% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Olten and Geneva sit above the global median – Olten by 131%, Geneva by 204%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.18 CHF 27.65

$30.77 CHF 24.89

11.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 99.9

$133 CHF 108

-7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.95 CHF 14.52

$18.66 CHF 15.09

-3.80%

Cappuccino

$6.59 CHF 5.33

$6.56 CHF 5.31

0.46%

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

$5.56 CHF 4.50

$4.98 CHF 4.03

11.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$4.25 CHF 3.44

29.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 CHF 7.56

$9.63 CHF 7.79

-3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CHF 6.12

$9.97 CHF 8.06

-24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-5.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.22

$3.50 CHF 2.83

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$3.33 CHF 2.69

16.82%

Eggs

$8.76 CHF 7.09

$8.08 CHF 6.54

8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.96 CHF 21.00

$25.34 CHF 20.50

2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.37 CHF 22.14

$29.32 CHF 23.72

-6.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.48 CHF 38.42

$42.61 CHF 34.47

11.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$3.46 CHF 2.80

22.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.29

$1.75 CHF 1.42

61.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.48

$2.80 CHF 2.27

9.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CHF 3.93

$4.74 CHF 3.83

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.17

$1.61 CHF 1.31

66.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.19 CHF 1.77

1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$2.13 CHF 1.72

16.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 CHF 1.05

$1.73 CHF 1.40

-24.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.95

$11.15 CHF 9.02

-0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.12

$12.17 CHF 9.85

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$3.43 CHF 2.77

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.55

$3.51 CHF 2.84

-9.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.41 CHF 4.37

$3.64 CHF 2.95

48.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 88.6

$91.7 CHF 74.2

19.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 CHF 6.67

$7.50 CHF 6.06

9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.80 CHF 3.88

$4.06 CHF 3.29

18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.3 CHF 73.0

$65.7 CHF 53.2

37.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.85

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-3.39%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

2.91%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

-1.37%

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

$287 CHF 233

$288 CHF 233

-0.13%

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

$34.09 CHF 27.58

$38.71 CHF 31.31

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.15 CHF 39.76

$57.0 CHF 46.10

-13.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.9 CHF 67.1

$78.6 CHF 63.6

5.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.32 CHF 36.66

Cinema Ticket

$21.24 CHF 17.18

$24.59 CHF 19.89

-13.62%

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

$3,643 CHF 2,947

$2,455 CHF 1,986

48.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$36.0K CHF 29.1K

18.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 115

$139 CHF 112

2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 CHF 48.88

$80.4 CHF 65.0

-24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 CHF 136

$170 CHF 137

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$219 CHF 178

$192 CHF 155

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CHF 1,020

$2,828 CHF 2,288

-55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 CHF 856

$2,136 CHF 1,728

-50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 CHF 1,605

$4,724 CHF 3,822

-57.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 CHF 1,581

$3,738 CHF 3,024

-47.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,404 CHF 3,563

$7,375 CHF 5,967

-40.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.98

4.55%

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

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Last update for Geneva: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,260 in Olten versus $2,828 in Geneva. 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 67% higher in Geneva, 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 $123 in Olten versus $133 in Geneva. Groceries tell a different story – $631 in Olten vs $605 in Geneva – so Geneva 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

Olten vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,754 per month in Olten and $6,266 in Geneva. 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.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Olten and $133 in Geneva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,169 in Olten and $4,177 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Olten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.