Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Mendrisio Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Mendrisio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,830 per month in Solothurn vs $2,925 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,520 per month in Solothurn vs $4,848 in Mendrisio, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,211 per month in Solothurn vs $6,771 in Mendrisio, rent included.

Solothurn is about 3% cheaper than Mendrisio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Solothurn and Mendrisio sit above the global median – Solothurn by 112%, Mendrisio by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.25

$30.74 CHF 24.85

1.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$186 CHF 151

-22.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.22

$18.80 CHF 15.20

13.30%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.28

$4.34 CHF 3.51

50.46%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.56

$4.29 CHF 3.47

31.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.36

$3.66 CHF 2.96

47.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.56

$6.11 CHF 4.94

12.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.13

$6.05 CHF 4.89

4.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.26 CHF 1.02

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$3.59 CHF 2.90

-9.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$4.92 CHF 3.98

-33.74%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.83

$3.65 CHF 2.95

97.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.31

$26.96 CHF 21.80

11.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.42

$15.25 CHF 12.33

106.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.06

$47.08 CHF 38.07

-15.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$3.16 CHF 2.56

31.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.33

$2.03 CHF 1.64

42.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.41

$2.48 CHF 2.01

20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.40

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-23.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-11.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-1.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$1.24 CHF 1.00

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.90

$11.05 CHF 8.94

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.87

$12.64 CHF 10.22

-23.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$4.20 CHF 3.40

-42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$3.26 CHF 2.63

12.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.5

$97.0 CHF 78.4

0.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.14

$6.68 CHF 5.40

13.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$4.33 CHF 3.50

-3.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.7

$61.4 CHF 49.66

22.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.22 CHF 1.80

4.95%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-8.29%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.4K

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

5.04%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.3

$203 CHF 164

-52.34%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.49

$29.66 CHF 23.98

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.77

$49.56 CHF 40.07

19.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.0

$75.0 CHF 60.7

-2.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.03

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.21

$18.57 CHF 15.01

34.63%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,766

$1,255 CHF 1,015

172.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.7K

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

-44.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$123 CHF 99.5

13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.48

$47.26 CHF 38.21

-7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.3

$131 CHF 106

-24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$153 CHF 123

22.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,034

$1,409 CHF 1,139

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 876

$1,234 CHF 998

-12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,503

$2,856 CHF 2,309

-34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,417

$2,475 CHF 2,001

-29.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,947

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,991

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,500

$6,924 CHF 5,598

-1.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

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

Last update for Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Solothurn versus $1,409 in Mendrisio. 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 2% higher in Mendrisio, 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 $186 in Mendrisio. Groceries tell a different story – $604 in Solothurn vs $530 in Mendrisio – so Mendrisio 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

Solothurn vs Mendrisio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendrisio costs about 3% more than Solothurn, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,244 per month in Solothurn and $4,387 in Mendrisio. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Mendrisio – 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 $144 in Solothurn and $186 in Mendrisio. 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 $2,925 in Mendrisio. 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, Mendrisio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.