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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,830 per month in Solothurn vs $4,080 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,520 per month in Solothurn vs $6,404 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,211 per month in Solothurn vs $8,728 in Geneva, rent included.

Solothurn is about 31% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Solothurn and Geneva sit above the global median – Solothurn by 112%, Geneva by 205%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.30

$36.40 CHF 29.49

-14.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$150 CHF 121

-4.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.25

$18.14 CHF 14.69

17.42%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.29

$5.76 CHF 4.67

13.37%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.57

$5.48 CHF 4.44

2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.37

$4.77 CHF 3.87

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.57

$10.05 CHF 8.14

-31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.14

$8.76 CHF 7.10

-27.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.19 CHF 1.77

1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$3.91 CHF 3.16

-16.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$4.45 CHF 3.60

-26.74%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.84

$7.55 CHF 6.12

-4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.35

$26.83 CHF 21.73

12.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.47

$33.39 CHF 27.04

-5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.12

$52.3 CHF 42.32

-24.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$3.53 CHF 2.86

17.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.50 CHF 2.02

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.42

$3.09 CHF 2.51

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$6.36 CHF 5.15

-33.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$2.64 CHF 2.14

-26.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.31 CHF 1.87

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$1.33 CHF 1.07

-20.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$10.89 CHF 8.82

1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.88

$12.08 CHF 9.78

-19.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$3.25 CHF 2.63

-19.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$3.75 CHF 3.04

-36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$3.73 CHF 3.02

-1.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.6

$85.7 CHF 69.4

13.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.15

$7.40 CHF 5.99

2.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.39

$3.54 CHF 2.87

18.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.8

$65.0 CHF 52.6

15.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.19 CHF 1.77

6.39%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.2K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-6.35%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.5K

$50.2K CHF 40.7K

-22.65%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.5

$261 CHF 211

-62.88%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.54

$48.55 CHF 39.32

-37.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.86

$64.3 CHF 52.1

-8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.2

$80.0 CHF 64.8

-8.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.06

$37.29 CHF 30.21

-33.57%

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.25

$24.25 CHF 19.64

3.09%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,772

$3,487 CHF 2,824

-1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.8K

$33.3K CHF 27.0K

-41.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.55

$80.9 CHF 65.5

-45.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.4

$165 CHF 134

-39.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$215 CHF 174

-13.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,035

$2,358 CHF 1,910

-45.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 877

$2,048 CHF 1,659

-47.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,506

$4,672 CHF 3,785

-60.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,420

$3,893 CHF 3,153

-54.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,962

$22.1K CHF 17.9K

-55.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,999

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

-69.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,510

$7,277 CHF 5,894

-6.52%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Geneva: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Solothurn versus $2,358 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 7% 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 $144 in Solothurn versus $150 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 vs $676 – 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 $4,244 per month in Solothurn and $6,120 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 $144 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 $2,830 in Solothurn and $4,080 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.