Cost of Living Comparison Between Schwyz and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Schwyz and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,501 per month in Schwyz vs $3,604 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,428 per month in Schwyz vs $5,448 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,356 per month in Schwyz vs $7,293 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Schwyz is about 3% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Schwyz and St. Gallen sit above the global median – Schwyz by 161%, St. Gallen by 169%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.29 CHF 25.54

$30.27 CHF 23.95

6.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$150 CHF 119

-2.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 14.87

$18.21 CHF 14.40

3.24%

Cappuccino

$6.81 CHF 5.39

$6.46 CHF 5.11

5.42%

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

$5.87 CHF 4.64

$5.67 CHF 4.49

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 CHF 4.41

$5.12 CHF 4.05

8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 CHF 5.84

$7.40 CHF 5.85

-0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 CHF 5.94

$7.12 CHF 5.63

5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.09

$2.59 CHF 2.05

50.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 2.93

$3.63 CHF 2.87

1.93%

Eggs

$8.12 CHF 6.42

$8.02 CHF 6.35

1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.38 CHF 21.66

$27.88 CHF 22.05

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.37 CHF 25.60

$31.80 CHF 25.16

1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.75 CHF 32.24

$41.82 CHF 33.08

-2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.51

$3.30 CHF 2.61

-3.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$1.90 CHF 1.50

14.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$2.53 CHF 2.00

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.95 CHF 5.49

$7.34 CHF 5.81

-5.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.35 CHF 1.86

6.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 CHF 0.87

$1.13 CHF 0.89

-2.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 8.70

$10.98 CHF 8.68

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 CHF 9.87

$11.55 CHF 9.14

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$2.15 CHF 1.70

5.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.94 CHF 3.12

$4.33 CHF 3.43

-9.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.1

$80.0 CHF 63.3

24.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 CHF 5.44

$6.64 CHF 5.26

3.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.3 CHF 63.6

$80.1 CHF 63.3

0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

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

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

-0.73%

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

$41.4K CHF 32.8K

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

-1.91%

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

$292 CHF 231

$335 CHF 265

-12.75%

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

$59.9 CHF 47.35

$58.4 CHF 46.15

2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 CHF 42.57

$52.9 CHF 41.81

1.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 CHF 69.4

$83.0 CHF 65.6

5.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$98.7 CHF 78.1

Cinema Ticket

$23.85 CHF 18.87

$30.64 CHF 24.23

-22.16%

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

$2,885 CHF 2,282

$2,846 CHF 2,251

1.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

16.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.1

$146 CHF 115

-24.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 CHF 42.87

$66.2 CHF 52.3

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 123

$157 CHF 124

-0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$237 CHF 188

-20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 CHF 1,363

$1,834 CHF 1,451

-6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 CHF 1,165

$1,522 CHF 1,204

-3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 CHF 2,240

$2,804 CHF 2,218

1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,463 CHF 1,948

$2,360 CHF 1,867

4.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K CHF 8,640

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,560 CHF 6,771

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,325 CHF 5,794

$7,299 CHF 5,773

0.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

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

Last update for Schwyz: April 25, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,723 in Schwyz versus $1,834 in St. Gallen. 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 0% higher in Schwyz, 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 $146 in Schwyz versus $150 in St. Gallen. Groceries tell a different story – $624 in Schwyz vs $612 in St. Gallen – so St. Gallen 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

Schwyz vs St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,501 in Schwyz, $3,604 in St. Gallen – roughly 3% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,251 per month in Schwyz and $5,406 in St. Gallen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in St. Gallen – 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 $146 in Schwyz and $150 in St. Gallen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,501 in Schwyz and $3,604 in St. Gallen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. St. Gallen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,501 in Schwyz to $3,604 in St. Gallen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Schwyz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St. Gallen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.