Cost of Living Comparison Between Princeton, NJ and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Princeton, NJ and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,711 per month in Princeton, NJ vs $2,973 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,396 per month in Princeton, NJ vs $4,526 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,081 per month in Princeton, NJ vs $6,078 in Olten, rent included.

Princeton, NJ costs about 25% more than Olten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Princeton, NJ and Olten sit above the global median – Princeton, NJ by 178%, Olten by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.27 $17.27

$31.25 CHF 25.31

-44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 $79.8

$103 CHF 83.2

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 $15.29

$17.04 CHF 13.81

-10.27%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$5.51 CHF 4.46

-6.90%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$5.20 CHF 4.21

-53.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$4.51 CHF 3.65

-52.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$7.27 CHF 5.89

7.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.26 CHF 5.07

29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-46.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.42 CHF 2.77

20.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.08 CHF 3.30

117.65%

Eggs

$4.30 $4.30

$7.52 CHF 6.09

-42.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.30 $25.30

$21.94 CHF 17.77

15.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.90 $23.90

$25.36 CHF 20.54

-5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.52 $22.52

$40.38 CHF 32.70

-44.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$4.22 CHF 3.42

58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$3.04 CHF 2.46

73.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$5.04 CHF 4.08

21.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.73 CHF 2.21

1.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.30 CHF 1.86

62.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-3.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.49 CHF 1.21

107.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 $11.19

$11.01 CHF 8.92

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.82 $19.82

$13.29 CHF 10.76

49.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.07 CHF 1.67

-17.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 $6.35

$2.43 CHF 1.97

161.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.86 CHF 3.13

-43.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$198 $198

$98.2 CHF 79.6

101.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 $5.85

$7.74 CHF 6.27

-24.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-67.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.16 $42.16

$62.7 CHF 50.8

-32.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-60.71%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-23.42%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-34.79%

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

$180 $180

$254 CHF 206

-29.15%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$33.62 CHF 27.24

51.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 $55.3

$58.1 CHF 47.04

-4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$171 $171

$62.4 CHF 50.5

173.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.88 $31.88

$18.77 CHF 15.21

69.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-41.33%

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

$1,825 $1,825

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-47.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K $40.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.94 $36.94

$139 CHF 113

-73.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.43 $24.43

$60.7 CHF 49.15

-59.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 $145

$146 CHF 118

-0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 $203

$198 CHF 160

2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,724 $2,724

$1,256 CHF 1,017

116.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 $1,935

$1,048 CHF 849

84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,637 $4,637

$1,956 CHF 1,585

137.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,084 $3,084

$1,697 CHF 1,374

81.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,678 $5,678

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-61.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,420 $3,420

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

-72.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,430 $6,430

$4,205 CHF 3,406

52.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

2.09

213.40%

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

Last update for Princeton, NJ: July 13, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,724 in Princeton, NJ versus $1,256 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 53% higher in Princeton, NJ, 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 $80.0 in Princeton, NJ versus $103 in Olten. Groceries tell a different story – $592 in Princeton, NJ vs $571 in Olten – so Olten 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

Princeton, NJ vs Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Princeton, NJ costs about 25% more than Olten, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $5,566 per month in Princeton, NJ and $4,460 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.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Princeton, NJ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Princeton, NJ and $103 in Olten. 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 $3,711 in Princeton, NJ and $2,973 in Olten. 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, Princeton, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.