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 $3,506 per month in Schwyz vs $3,591 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,376 per month in Schwyz vs $5,378 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,246 per month in Schwyz vs $7,164 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Schwyz is about 2% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Schwyz and St. Gallen sit above the global median – Schwyz by 163%, St. Gallen by 169%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.43 CHF 25.72

$30.25 CHF 23.99

7.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$151 CHF 119

-1.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.35 CHF 15.35

$18.53 CHF 14.70

4.43%

Cappuccino

$6.69 CHF 5.31

$6.36 CHF 5.04

5.19%

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

$5.71 CHF 4.53

$5.82 CHF 4.62

-1.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 CHF 4.42

$5.36 CHF 4.25

3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 CHF 6.03

$7.35 CHF 5.83

3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.91

$7.05 CHF 5.59

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$2.19 CHF 1.74

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 CHF 3.12

$2.69 CHF 2.13

46.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.89

$3.57 CHF 2.83

1.96%

Eggs

$8.18 CHF 6.49

$8.23 CHF 6.53

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.53 CHF 21.83

$28.13 CHF 22.31

-2.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.76 CHF 25.98

$32.91 CHF 26.10

-0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.72 CHF 33.09

$41.33 CHF 32.78

0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.56

$3.25 CHF 2.58

-0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CHF 1.63

$1.84 CHF 1.46

11.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$2.47 CHF 1.96

2.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.16 CHF 5.68

$7.17 CHF 5.68

-0.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-10.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.36 CHF 1.87

-3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.08

$2.31 CHF 1.83

13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.91

$1.11 CHF 0.88

3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.64

$10.67 CHF 8.47

2.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 CHF 10.00

$11.46 CHF 9.09

9.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.79

$2.28 CHF 1.81

-1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.32 CHF 1.84

-0.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.05

$4.25 CHF 3.37

-9.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 CHF 77.5

$81.4 CHF 64.6

20.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 CHF 5.52

$6.86 CHF 5.44

1.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.28 CHF 3.40

$4.14 CHF 3.28

3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.8 CHF 62.5

$80.9 CHF 64.1

-2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.13 CHF 1.69

4.23%

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

$40.2K CHF 31.9K

$41.0K CHF 32.5K

-1.87%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.0K

$41.7K CHF 33.0K

-0.26%

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

$298 CHF 237

$332 CHF 263

-10.23%

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

$60.0 CHF 47.59

$58.9 CHF 46.73

1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CHF 42.55

$53.3 CHF 42.26

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 CHF 70.3

$82.2 CHF 65.2

7.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$99.8 CHF 79.1

Cinema Ticket

$23.32 CHF 18.50

$30.44 CHF 24.14

-23.39%

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

$2,827 CHF 2,242

$2,823 CHF 2,239

0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$35.0K CHF 27.8K

16.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 85.6

$146 CHF 115

-25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 42.10

$66.6 CHF 52.8

-20.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 122

$154 CHF 122

-0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 148

$236 CHF 187

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CHF 1,364

$1,819 CHF 1,443

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,182

$1,548 CHF 1,228

-3.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,803 CHF 2,223

$2,801 CHF 2,221

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 CHF 1,989

$2,376 CHF 1,884

5.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.5K

$12.5K CHF 9,949

55.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

$10.2K CHF 8,065

46.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,297 CHF 5,788

$6,953 CHF 5,514

4.96%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,720 in Schwyz versus $1,819 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 5% 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 $149 in Schwyz versus $151 in St. Gallen. Groceries tell a different story – $632 in Schwyz vs $616 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: $3,506 in Schwyz, $3,591 in St. Gallen – roughly 2% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,260 per month in Schwyz and $5,387 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 3% 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 $149 in Schwyz and $151 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 $3,506 in Schwyz and $3,591 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 $3,506 in Schwyz to $3,591 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.