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 $3,494 per month in Schwyz vs $3,806 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,630 per month in Schwyz vs $5,351 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,765 per month in Schwyz vs $6,896 in St. Gallen, rent included.

Schwyz is about 8% cheaper than St. Gallen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Schwyz and St. Gallen sit above the global median – Schwyz by 155%, St. Gallen by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.19 CHF 25.75

$29.81 CHF 24.61

4.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 102

$145 CHF 120

-15.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.54 CHF 15.31

$18.58 CHF 15.34

-0.22%

Cappuccino

$6.24 CHF 5.15

$6.09 CHF 5.03

2.46%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.52

$5.96 CHF 4.92

-8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CHF 4.11

$5.22 CHF 4.31

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.44 CHF 6.97

$9.08 CHF 7.49

-7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CHF 5.55

$6.40 CHF 5.28

5.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.92

$2.30 CHF 1.90

1.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.30

$3.11 CHF 2.56

28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.47

$3.85 CHF 3.18

9.35%

Eggs

$7.72 CHF 6.37

$7.90 CHF 6.52

-2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.13 CHF 27.34

$25.34 CHF 20.91

30.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.78 CHF 24.58

$28.79 CHF 23.76

3.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.00 CHF 35.49

$39.29 CHF 32.43

9.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.99

$3.06 CHF 2.53

18.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.81

$1.61 CHF 1.33

36.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CHF 2.50

$2.38 CHF 1.96

27.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 CHF 4.51

$6.09 CHF 5.03

-10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.96

$1.68 CHF 1.39

41.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.22

$2.16 CHF 1.78

24.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 1.99

$2.23 CHF 1.84

8.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 1.02

$1.24 CHF 1.02

-0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 9.02

$11.16 CHF 9.21

-2.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.69 CHF 11.30

$11.22 CHF 9.26

22.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 CHF 2.54

$2.23 CHF 1.84

38.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 CHF 3.35

$2.38 CHF 1.96

70.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 CHF 3.79

$4.24 CHF 3.50

8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 84.0

$131 CHF 108

-22.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 CHF 5.06

$6.59 CHF 5.44

-6.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.04 CHF 4.99

$4.78 CHF 3.95

26.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 CHF 51.1

$78.7 CHF 64.9

-21.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$2.22 CHF 1.83

-0.45%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.5K

$35.8K CHF 29.6K

23.38%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.8K

$39.9K CHF 32.9K

-0.40%

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

$235 CHF 194

$314 CHF 259

-25.11%

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

$40.37 CHF 33.32

$37.99 CHF 31.36

6.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CHF 52.5

$56.0 CHF 46.19

13.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.4 CHF 77.1

$80.9 CHF 66.8

15.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.76 CHF 37.77

$98.0 CHF 80.9

-53.33%

Cinema Ticket

$27.89 CHF 23.02

$30.58 CHF 25.24

-8.80%

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

$1,859 CHF 1,534

$2,297 CHF 1,896

-19.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 27.9K

$33.1K CHF 27.3K

2.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$171 CHF 141

$149 CHF 123

14.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 CHF 57.0

$65.7 CHF 54.2

5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$191 CHF 158

$146 CHF 121

30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 CHF 158

$185 CHF 152

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 CHF 1,458

$1,825 CHF 1,506

-3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 CHF 1,242

$1,714 CHF 1,415

-12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 CHF 2,372

$2,906 CHF 2,398

-1.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,414

$2,207 CHF 1,822

32.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.8K

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

33.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

$9,126 CHF 7,532

33.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,043 CHF 5,814

$6,752 CHF 5,573

4.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

2.1

-9.52%

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

Last update for Schwyz: September 14, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,766 in Schwyz versus $1,825 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 4% 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 $123 in Schwyz versus $145 in St. Gallen. Groceries tell a different story – $647 in Schwyz vs $575 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: $3,494 in Schwyz, $3,806 in St. Gallen – roughly 9% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,241 per month in Schwyz and $5,708 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 12% 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 $123 in Schwyz and $145 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 $3,494 in Schwyz and $3,806 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 $3,494 in Schwyz to $3,806 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.