Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Swieqi Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Swieqi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,609 per month in Pau vs $2,268 in Swieqi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Pau vs $3,401 in Swieqi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in Pau vs $4,534 in Swieqi, rent included.

Pau is about 29% cheaper than Swieqi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pau and Swieqi sit above the global median – Pau by 20%, Swieqi by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 €13.96

$17.64 €15.17

-7.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 €44.41

$69.9 €60.1

-26.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 €9.82

$9.92 €8.53

15.02%

Cappuccino

$3.30 €2.84

$2.63 €2.26

25.48%

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

$3.41 €2.93

$2.74 €2.35

24.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.73 €1.48

9.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 €5.06

$4.38 €3.77

34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 €3.49

$5.31 €4.57

-23.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.37 €1.17

63.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$3.52 €3.03

-48.86%

Eggs

$4.85 €4.17

$3.19 €2.75

52.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 €11.49

$8.82 €7.59

51.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.36 €10.63

$10.35 €8.90

19.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.75 €22.15

$14.21 €12.22

81.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$3.37 €2.90

-2.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.06 €1.77

-19.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.77 €2.38

-21.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.20 €2.75

6.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.87 €1.60

-5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.86 €2.46

-19.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.86 €1.60

-33.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.82 €0.70

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.80 €11.01

$6.52 €5.61

96.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.78

$6.32 €5.43

43.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.29

$2.38 €2.05

12.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.93

$1.86 €1.60

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.34 €2.01

-44.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.15 €22.49

$15.16 €13.04

72.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 €3.89

$4.60 €3.96

-1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.90 €1.63

28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.62 €15.16

$58.7 €50.5

-69.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.80

$1.59 €1.37

32.08%

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

$29.8K €25.6K

$26.0K €22.4K

14.51%

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

$34.9K €30.0K

$41.1K €35.4K

-15.09%

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

$185 €159

$158 €136

16.97%

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

$32.03 €27.56

$22.98 €19.76

39.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.03 €33.57

$32.97 €28.36

18.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.06 €34.46

$68.5 €58.9

-41.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.44 €15.86

$22.59 €19.43

-18.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 €9.59

$9.19 €7.90

21.33%

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

$792 €681

$510 €438

55.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,637 €3,988

$12.9K €11.1K

-64.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.7

$75.1 €64.6

37.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 €34.46

$58.2 €50.1

-31.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.4

$143 €123

-40.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €70.8

$168 €144

-50.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 €659

$1,195 €1,028

-35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 €400

$1,139 €980

-59.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €952

$2,988 €2,570

-62.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 €632

$2,112 €1,817

-65.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,557 €2,200

$4,973 €4,277

-48.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,097 €1,804

$4,325 €3,720

-51.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,123 €2,686

$1,446 €1,244

115.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

4.34

-16.59%

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

Last update for Pau: May 31, 2026

Last update for Swieqi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $766 in Pau versus $1,195 in Swieqi. 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 116% higher in Pau, 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 $52.0 in Pau versus $70.0 in Swieqi. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Pau vs $288 in Swieqi – so Swieqi 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

Pau vs Swieqi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,609 in Pau, $2,268 in Swieqi – roughly 41% apart. Swieqi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,414 per month in Pau and $3,403 in Swieqi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Swieqi – 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 $52.0 in Pau and $70.0 in Swieqi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pau, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Swieqi at $2,268. In Pau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Swieqi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pau – 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 Pau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Swieqi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.