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 $3,445 per month in Schwyz vs $3,566 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,317 per month in Schwyz vs $5,365 in St. Gallen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,188 per month in Schwyz vs $7,165 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 159%, St. Gallen by 168%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.01 CHF 25.85

$30.77 CHF 24.84

4.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 119

$145 CHF 117

1.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.38

$18.51 CHF 14.94

2.92%

Cappuccino

$6.75 CHF 5.45

$6.31 CHF 5.10

6.97%

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

$5.73 CHF 4.63

$5.72 CHF 4.62

0.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 CHF 4.52

$5.29 CHF 4.27

5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 CHF 6.00

$7.68 CHF 6.20

-3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 CHF 5.82

$7.17 CHF 5.79

0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$2.29 CHF 1.85

-3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 CHF 3.18

$2.65 CHF 2.14

48.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CHF 3.00

$3.54 CHF 2.86

5.08%

Eggs

$8.18 CHF 6.61

$7.92 CHF 6.39

3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.58 CHF 22.27

$28.07 CHF 22.66

-1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.42 CHF 26.18

$32.38 CHF 26.14

0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.14 CHF 33.22

$41.83 CHF 33.77

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.53

$3.18 CHF 2.56

-1.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.84 CHF 1.48

16.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 CHF 5.75

$7.11 CHF 5.74

0.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.33 CHF 1.88

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.41 CHF 1.94

3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 CHF 8.60

$10.77 CHF 8.70

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 CHF 10.49

$11.46 CHF 9.26

13.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.20 CHF 1.78

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.29 CHF 1.85

3.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.94 CHF 3.18

$4.29 CHF 3.46

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 80.1

$79.6 CHF 64.3

24.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.66 CHF 5.38

$6.68 CHF 5.39

-0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.44

$4.27 CHF 3.45

-0.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.7 CHF 64.4

$78.6 CHF 63.5

1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-1.37%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

$40.9K CHF 33.1K

-2.27%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

3.36%

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

$298 CHF 240

$330 CHF 266

-9.72%

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

$60.4 CHF 48.75

$59.2 CHF 47.83

1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 CHF 42.72

$53.2 CHF 42.94

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 CHF 71.3

$80.2 CHF 64.8

10.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.39 CHF 39.88

$98.6 CHF 79.6

-49.90%

Cinema Ticket

$23.37 CHF 18.87

$30.77 CHF 24.85

-24.05%

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

$2,875 CHF 2,321

$2,877 CHF 2,323

-0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

$34.7K CHF 28.0K

15.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.4

$149 CHF 120

-25.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 CHF 44.11

$67.0 CHF 54.1

-18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 123

$155 CHF 126

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 153

$236 CHF 191

-19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,682 CHF 1,358

$1,831 CHF 1,479

-8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,467 CHF 1,184

$1,539 CHF 1,243

-4.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 CHF 2,281

$2,720 CHF 2,196

3.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 CHF 2,009

$2,341 CHF 1,890

6.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.9K CHF 12.9K

$12.3K CHF 9,923

29.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,468

$9,211 CHF 7,437

13.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,091 CHF 5,725

$6,725 CHF 5,430

5.45%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,682 in Schwyz versus $1,831 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 $148 in Schwyz versus $145 in St. Gallen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $629 vs $614 – making St. Gallen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,445 in Schwyz, $3,566 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 $5,168 per month in Schwyz and $5,348 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 $148 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 $3,445 in Schwyz and $3,566 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 $3,445 in Schwyz to $3,566 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.