Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,132 per month in Schaffhausen vs $4,164 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,926 per month in Schaffhausen vs $6,467 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,720 per month in Schaffhausen vs $8,770 in Geneva, rent included.

Schaffhausen is about 25% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Schaffhausen and Geneva sit above the global median – Schaffhausen by 133%, Geneva by 210%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.29

$36.87 CHF 29.47

-17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.4

$145 CHF 116

-14.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.65

$18.57 CHF 14.84

-14.81%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.33

$6.02 CHF 4.81

-9.97%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.28

$5.34 CHF 4.27

0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.49

$4.86 CHF 3.88

-10.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.36

$9.58 CHF 7.66

-17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.88

$8.36 CHF 6.69

-12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.57

$2.21 CHF 1.77

-11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.01

$3.94 CHF 3.15

-4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.88

$4.28 CHF 3.42

-15.65%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.29

$7.50 CHF 6.00

4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.54

$27.37 CHF 21.87

7.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 28.01

$32.50 CHF 25.98

7.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.39

$53.2 CHF 42.50

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.94

$3.47 CHF 2.78

6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.86

$2.55 CHF 2.04

-8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

$3.11 CHF 2.48

-5.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.91

$6.20 CHF 4.96

-0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$2.63 CHF 2.10

-7.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$2.33 CHF 1.87

6.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.05

$2.48 CHF 1.98

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$1.34 CHF 1.07

-4.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.77

$10.96 CHF 8.76

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.85

$12.44 CHF 9.95

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$3.21 CHF 2.57

-57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$3.76 CHF 3.01

-27.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.18

$3.81 CHF 3.04

4.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.7

$86.1 CHF 68.8

1.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.11

$7.68 CHF 6.14

32.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.11

$3.64 CHF 2.91

6.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$63.9 CHF 51.1

-5.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$2.28 CHF 1.82

-3.07%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

-1.13%

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

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

$49.7K CHF 39.7K

-14.27%

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

$247 CHF 197

$259 CHF 207

-4.65%

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

$28.92 CHF 23.11

$48.72 CHF 38.94

-40.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 35.11

$62.4 CHF 49.90

-29.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 87.2

$80.4 CHF 64.3

35.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

$36.17 CHF 28.91

31.63%

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 18.01

$24.70 CHF 19.75

-8.79%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,708

$3,414 CHF 2,728

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

$32.7K CHF 26.1K

29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.1

$136 CHF 109

-18.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 53.1

$80.2 CHF 64.1

-17.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$166 CHF 133

-22.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 124

$207 CHF 166

-25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 972

$2,339 CHF 1,870

-47.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 977

$2,018 CHF 1,613

-39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,152

$4,705 CHF 3,760

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,756

$3,900 CHF 3,117

-43.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,706

$23.1K CHF 18.5K

-63.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,410

$16.5K CHF 13.2K

-58.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,463

$7,654 CHF 6,117

21.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.46

1.63%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Geneva: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $2,339 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 22% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $124 in Schaffhausen versus $145 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 vs $676 – making Schaffhausen 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

Schaffhausen vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,699 per month in Schaffhausen and $6,245 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Geneva, 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 $124 in Schaffhausen and $145 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 $3,132 in Schaffhausen and $4,164 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Schaffhausen – 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 Schaffhausen. 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.