Cost of Living Comparison Between Riehen and Glarus Cost of Living Comparison Between Riehen and Glarus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,556 per month in Riehen vs $3,410 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,257 per month in Riehen vs $5,117 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,959 per month in Riehen vs $6,823 in Glarus, rent included.

Riehen costs about 4% more than Glarus, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Riehen and Glarus sit above the global median – Riehen by 159%, Glarus by 148%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.64 CHF 25.72

$29.52 CHF 24.00

7.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 101

$122 CHF 99.0

1.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.91 CHF 12.93

$18.18 CHF 14.78

-12.49%

Cappuccino

$6.40 CHF 5.21

$6.17 CHF 5.01

3.73%

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

$5.29 CHF 4.30

$3.79 CHF 3.08

39.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 CHF 4.45

$3.92 CHF 3.19

39.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 CHF 5.97

$9.45 CHF 7.68

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 CHF 5.56

$6.37 CHF 5.18

7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.18 CHF 1.77

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.65

$3.30 CHF 2.68

-1.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.92

$2.90 CHF 2.36

23.79%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 6.12

$7.86 CHF 6.39

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.20 CHF 20.48

$8.88 CHF 7.22

183.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.67

$14.68 CHF 11.93

81.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.32 CHF 31.15

$39.60 CHF 32.20

-3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.97

$3.18 CHF 2.58

14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CHF 1.41

$1.65 CHF 1.34

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.15

$2.38 CHF 1.94

10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$5.53 CHF 4.50

-15.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.44

$1.68 CHF 1.37

5.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.93

$2.31 CHF 1.88

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.03

$1.23 CHF 1.00

3.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.41 CHF 9.27

$10.93 CHF 8.88

4.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 CHF 8.69

$11.32 CHF 9.21

-5.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 CHF 2.99

$2.15 CHF 1.75

71.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.97

$2.36 CHF 1.92

2.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.35 CHF 3.53

$6.33 CHF 5.15

-31.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 85.5

$227 CHF 184

-53.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 CHF 8.14

$6.72 CHF 5.47

48.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 CHF 3.24

$4.85 CHF 3.95

-17.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.9 CHF 61.7

$79.9 CHF 65.0

-5.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.21 CHF 1.80

4.98%

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

$43.0K CHF 35.0K

$35.7K CHF 29.0K

20.54%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

1.99%

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

$355 CHF 289

$324 CHF 263

9.76%

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

$43.00 CHF 34.96

$38.59 CHF 31.37

11.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 48.71

$54.8 CHF 44.51

9.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.7 CHF 77.8

$167 CHF 135

-42.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.67 CHF 38.75

$42.68 CHF 34.70

11.69%

Cinema Ticket

$21.42 CHF 17.41

$25.71 CHF 20.90

-16.69%

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

$1,880 CHF 1,528

$2,370 CHF 1,927

-20.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K CHF 30.0K

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

13.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 CHF 85.4

$104 CHF 84.9

0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 CHF 48.50

$43.38 CHF 35.26

37.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 136

$135 CHF 110

23.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 CHF 158

$101 CHF 81.9

92.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,488

$1,762 CHF 1,432

3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 CHF 1,194

$1,407 CHF 1,144

4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,503 CHF 2,848

$3,052 CHF 2,482

14.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 CHF 2,049

$2,336 CHF 1,899

7.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,943 CHF 7,271

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

2.1

10.00%

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

Last update for Riehen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Glarus: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,830 in Riehen versus $1,762 in Glarus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Riehen versus $122 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $565 vs $451 – making Glarus the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Riehen vs Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riehen is pricier by about 4%, 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 $5,334 per month in Riehen and $5,115 in Glarus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 116% less in Glarus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,880 per month in Riehen and $2,370 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,556 in Riehen and $3,410 in Glarus. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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