Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Olten: $3,049 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $22,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in New York, NY outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

148

Cost of Living Index in Olten
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Olten Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Olten

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,049

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Olten and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Olten and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,049 per month in Olten vs $4,938 in New York, NY, rent included.

Olten $3,049
New York, NY $4,938

A couple spends around $4,812 per month in Olten vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Olten $4,812
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $6,576 per month in Olten vs $9,608 in New York, NY, rent included.

Olten $6,576
New York, NY $9,608

Olten is about 38% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Olten and New York, NY sit above the global median – Olten by 125%, New York, NY by 264%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.18 CHF 27.33

$24.99 $24.99

32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$120 $120

1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.69 CHF 14.57

$13.74 $13.74

28.75%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 5.18

$6.60 $6.60

-4.70%

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

$5.51 CHF 4.54

$3.82 $3.82

44.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CHF 4.29

$2.87 $2.87

81.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.22 CHF 7.59

$7.95 $7.95

15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 CHF 6.19

$10.06 $10.06

-25.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.73

$1.37 $1.37

54.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 CHF 3.19

$4.75 $4.75

-18.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.14

$7.69 $7.69

-50.46%

Eggs

$8.37 CHF 6.90

$5.87 $5.87

42.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.10 CHF 21.50

$19.25 $19.25

35.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.77 CHF 22.05

$17.83 $17.83

50.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$46.34 CHF 38.16

$19.03 $19.03

143.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.31

$6.69 $6.69

-39.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.22

$2.29 $2.29

17.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.45

$6.41 $6.41

-53.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.86

$6.75 $6.75

-30.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.05

$3.93 $3.93

-36.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.76

$4.52 $4.52

-52.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.10

$2.79 $2.79

-8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.06

$2.51 $2.51

-48.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 CHF 8.93

$18.10 $18.10

-40.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 CHF 11.63

$20.16 $20.16

-29.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CHF 2.30

$3.26 $3.26

-14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.68

$3.75 $3.75

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.30 CHF 4.37

$2.92 $2.92

81.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 88.3

$143 $143

-24.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 CHF 6.91

$3.06 $3.06

174.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.53 CHF 3.73

$2.16 $2.16

109.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.2 CHF 74.3

$41.33 $41.33

118.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$1.12 $1.12

92.86%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

$33.1K $33.1K

19.38%

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

$39.3K CHF 32.4K

$25.7K $25.7K

52.81%

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

$275 CHF 227

$219 $219

25.56%

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

$32.97 CHF 27.15

$75.3 $75.3

-56.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.51 CHF 39.13

$70.5 $70.5

-32.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 CHF 66.1

$116 $116

-30.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$21.01 CHF 17.30

$21.37 $21.37

-1.68%

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

$3,608 CHF 2,971

$3,432 $3,432

5.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.7K CHF 34.3K

$61.7K $61.7K

-32.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 118

$74.9 $74.9

90.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 CHF 48.81

$52.1 $52.1

13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 137

$117 $117

42.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 CHF 173

$135 $135

56.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 CHF 997

$4,347 $4,347

-72.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 CHF 852

$3,117 $3,117

-66.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 CHF 1,621

$9,110 $9,110

-78.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 CHF 1,605

$5,379 $5,379

-63.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,837 CHF 4,808

$5,238 $5,238

11.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

6.85

-69.78%

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

Last update for Olten: October 20, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Olten

$1K 34%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1% 201% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Olten

$617 20.3%

New York, NY

$552 11.2% 10.6% $65

Eating Out

Olten

$498 16.3%

New York, NY

$407 8.2% 18.3% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Olten

$356 11.7%

New York, NY

$365 7.4% 2.6% $9.3

Clothing & Footwear

Olten

$261 8.6%

New York, NY

$170 3.5% 34.7% $90

Getting Around

Olten

$160 5.2%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 5.4% $8.7

Sport & Entertainment

Olten

$122 4%

New York, NY

$158 3.2% 29.4% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,210 in Olten versus $4,347 in New York, NY. 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 11% higher in Olten, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Olten versus $120 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $617 vs $552 – making New York, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Olten

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

14:33 2:33 PM

08:33 8:33 AM

6 h behind Olten

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,280

8,804,190

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

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Olten New York, NY 6,300 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

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Olten
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

New York, NY costs about 62% more than Olten, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,573 per month in Olten and $7,407 in New York, NY. 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 $3,608 per month in Olten and $3,432 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $3,049 in Olten and $4,938 in New York, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Olten costs $3,049 versus $4,938 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.