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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,172 per month in Schaffhausen vs $4,215 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,928 per month in Schaffhausen vs $6,620 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,685 per month in Schaffhausen vs $9,024 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 137%, Geneva by 216%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 25.55

$37.08 CHF 30.27

-15.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.4

$149 CHF 122

-18.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.11 CHF 13.15

$18.74 CHF 15.30

-14.03%

Cappuccino

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$5.89 CHF 4.81

-3.57%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.37

$5.42 CHF 4.42

-1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.57

$4.89 CHF 3.99

-10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$10.09 CHF 8.23

-20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 CHF 6.18

$8.79 CHF 7.17

-13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.60

$2.22 CHF 1.81

-11.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.09

$3.81 CHF 3.11

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$4.40 CHF 3.59

-16.14%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$7.60 CHF 6.21

3.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.80 CHF 24.32

$27.21 CHF 22.21

9.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.49 CHF 28.97

$32.60 CHF 26.61

8.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.0 CHF 41.59

$53.0 CHF 43.26

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$3.41 CHF 2.78

8.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$2.44 CHF 1.99

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.35

$3.01 CHF 2.46

-4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CHF 4.98

$6.47 CHF 5.28

-5.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.54 CHF 2.08

-1.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.03

$2.36 CHF 1.93

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.18

$2.49 CHF 2.03

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.04

$1.32 CHF 1.07

-3.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 CHF 8.93

$10.93 CHF 8.92

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 CHF 10.95

$12.29 CHF 10.04

9.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$3.28 CHF 2.68

-58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.12

$3.63 CHF 2.96

-28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$3.61 CHF 2.95

9.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$86.2 CHF 70.4

-0.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 CHF 8.20

$7.50 CHF 6.12

34.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 CHF 3.30

$3.54 CHF 2.89

14.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 CHF 50.5

$64.3 CHF 52.5

-3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$2.21 CHF 1.80

-3.62%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

$40.7K CHF 33.2K

-2.48%

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

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$49.3K CHF 40.2K

-13.91%

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

$247 CHF 202

$257 CHF 210

-3.89%

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

$28.70 CHF 23.42

$47.97 CHF 39.16

-40.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 CHF 35.05

$64.3 CHF 52.5

-33.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 88.6

$81.3 CHF 66.4

33.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.47 CHF 38.74

$36.03 CHF 29.40

31.75%

Cinema Ticket

$22.34 CHF 18.24

$24.23 CHF 19.78

-7.80%

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

$3,354 CHF 2,738

$3,422 CHF 2,793

-1.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

$33.5K CHF 27.3K

29.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 91.4

$139 CHF 113

-19.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 CHF 55.2

$79.7 CHF 65.0

-15.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$166 CHF 136

-19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 CHF 126

$214 CHF 175

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 CHF 1,001

$2,383 CHF 1,945

-48.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 CHF 1,018

$2,021 CHF 1,649

-38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 CHF 2,171

$4,642 CHF 3,789

-42.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 CHF 1,808

$3,834 CHF 3,129

-42.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,226 CHF 6,714

$22.7K CHF 18.5K

-63.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,564 CHF 6,990

$15.8K CHF 12.9K

-45.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,453 CHF 6,083

$7,409 CHF 6,047

0.60%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Geneva: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Schaffhausen versus $2,383 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 1% 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 $122 in Schaffhausen versus $149 in Geneva. Groceries tell a different story – $675 in Schaffhausen vs $674 in Geneva – so Geneva 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

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 $4,758 per month in Schaffhausen and $6,323 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Geneva – 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 $122 in Schaffhausen and $149 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 $3,172 in Schaffhausen and $4,215 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.