Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,824 per month in Solothurn vs $4,060 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,426 per month in Solothurn vs $6,383 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,029 per month in Solothurn vs $8,707 in Geneva, rent included.

Solothurn is about 30% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Solothurn and Geneva sit above the global median – Solothurn by 111%, Geneva by 203%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.88 CHF 24.43

$37.68 CHF 29.81

-18.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$150 CHF 119

-4.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.70 CHF 16.37

$18.64 CHF 14.74

11.05%

Cappuccino

$6.63 CHF 5.24

$5.97 CHF 4.72

11.06%

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

$5.61 CHF 4.44

$5.49 CHF 4.34

2.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.06

$4.92 CHF 3.89

4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 CHF 5.26

$10.13 CHF 8.01

-34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CHF 4.94

$8.54 CHF 6.76

-26.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 CHF 2.71

$3.88 CHF 3.07

-11.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.68

$4.44 CHF 3.51

-23.65%

Eggs

$7.47 CHF 5.91

$7.62 CHF 6.03

-1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.54 CHF 23.37

$26.53 CHF 20.99

11.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.76 CHF 24.33

$33.26 CHF 26.31

-7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.99 CHF 30.85

$52.6 CHF 41.59

-25.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.34

$3.49 CHF 2.76

20.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$2.52 CHF 2.00

15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.47

$3.07 CHF 2.43

1.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CHF 3.44

$6.26 CHF 4.95

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.53

$2.66 CHF 2.10

-27.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.60

$2.32 CHF 1.84

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.98

$2.57 CHF 2.04

-2.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.84

$1.36 CHF 1.08

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 8.94

$10.90 CHF 8.62

3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 CHF 8.12

$12.84 CHF 10.16

-20.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CHF 2.10

$3.26 CHF 2.58

-18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.92

$3.63 CHF 2.88

-33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$3.60 CHF 2.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CHF 77.6

$85.5 CHF 67.7

14.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.07

$7.53 CHF 5.96

1.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.31

$3.64 CHF 2.88

15.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 CHF 57.8

$65.6 CHF 51.9

11.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.23 CHF 1.76

3.14%

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

$38.3K CHF 30.3K

$41.0K CHF 32.5K

-6.73%

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

$37.8K CHF 29.9K

$48.7K CHF 38.6K

-22.49%

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

$100 CHF 79.1

$262 CHF 207

-61.81%

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

$30.95 CHF 24.49

$47.82 CHF 37.83

-35.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.69

$63.3 CHF 50.0

-8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 CHF 58.5

$79.6 CHF 63.0

-7.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.25 CHF 19.18

$35.97 CHF 28.46

-32.58%

Cinema Ticket

$24.39 CHF 19.30

$24.48 CHF 19.36

-0.37%

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

$3,424 CHF 2,709

$3,514 CHF 2,780

-2.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K CHF 15.6K

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

-39.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$138 CHF 109

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 CHF 33.65

$81.7 CHF 64.7

-47.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 78.5

$162 CHF 128

-38.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 149

$214 CHF 169

-12.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CHF 1,001

$2,329 CHF 1,843

-45.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CHF 843

$2,049 CHF 1,621

-48.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CHF 1,467

$4,631 CHF 3,664

-59.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 CHF 1,389

$3,922 CHF 3,102

-55.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,116

$23.1K CHF 18.3K

-55.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,092 CHF 4,028

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

-68.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,149 CHF 5,655

$7,858 CHF 6,217

-9.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.46

-15.04%

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

Last update for Solothurn: May 30, 2026

Last update for Geneva: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,265 in Solothurn versus $2,329 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 10% higher in Geneva, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $143 in Solothurn versus $150 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 vs $678 – making Solothurn 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

Solothurn vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,236 per month in Solothurn and $6,090 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $143 in Solothurn and $150 in Geneva. 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 $2,824 in Solothurn and $4,060 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Solothurn – 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 Solothurn. 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.