Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Chur Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Chur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,604 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,056 in Chur, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,448 per month in St. Gallen vs $5,086 in Chur, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,293 per month in St. Gallen vs $7,115 in Chur, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 18% more than Chur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both St. Gallen and Chur sit above the global median – St. Gallen by 169%, Chur by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 CHF 23.95

$30.56 CHF 24.18

-0.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 119

$97.9 CHF 77.5

53.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.21 CHF 14.40

$16.07 CHF 12.71

13.32%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.11

$5.83 CHF 4.61

10.81%

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

$5.67 CHF 4.49

$4.38 CHF 3.46

29.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 CHF 4.05

$4.19 CHF 3.31

22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 CHF 5.85

$7.50 CHF 5.93

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 CHF 5.63

$7.28 CHF 5.76

-2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$2.23 CHF 1.77

2.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CHF 2.05

$3.82 CHF 3.02

-32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$4.21 CHF 3.33

-13.78%

Eggs

$8.02 CHF 6.35

$7.76 CHF 6.14

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.88 CHF 22.05

$29.42 CHF 23.27

-5.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.80 CHF 25.16

$34.76 CHF 27.50

-8.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.82 CHF 33.08

$36.10 CHF 28.56

15.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 CHF 2.61

$3.68 CHF 2.91

-10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.50

$2.35 CHF 1.86

-19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-0.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 CHF 5.81

$5.42 CHF 4.29

35.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.79 CHF 1.42

40.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$2.26 CHF 1.79

3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.17 CHF 1.72

8.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.89

$1.22 CHF 0.97

-7.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CHF 8.68

$10.87 CHF 8.60

1.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CHF 9.14

$13.75 CHF 10.88

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-13.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$3.41 CHF 2.70

-29.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.33 CHF 3.43

$5.35 CHF 4.24

-19.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 CHF 63.3

$189 CHF 150

-57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 CHF 5.26

$8.28 CHF 6.55

-19.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.36

$4.12 CHF 3.26

2.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 CHF 63.3

$62.8 CHF 49.68

27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-3.18%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$39.5K CHF 31.2K

3.84%

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

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$37.1K CHF 29.4K

13.66%

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

$335 CHF 265

$243 CHF 193

37.61%

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

$58.4 CHF 46.15

$24.94 CHF 19.73

133.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 CHF 41.81

$49.69 CHF 39.30

6.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.0 CHF 65.6

$84.6 CHF 66.9

-1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$98.7 CHF 78.1

$36.98 CHF 29.25

167.01%

Cinema Ticket

$30.64 CHF 24.23

$22.28 CHF 17.63

37.52%

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

$2,846 CHF 2,251

$2,504 CHF 1,981

13.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

$42.3K CHF 33.5K

-18.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 115

$137 CHF 108

6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 52.3

$36.73 CHF 29.05

80.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 124

$130 CHF 103

20.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$237 CHF 188

$162 CHF 128

46.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,451

$1,526 CHF 1,207

20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 CHF 1,204

$1,136 CHF 898

34.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,804 CHF 2,218

$2,867 CHF 2,268

-2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 CHF 1,867

$2,561 CHF 2,026

-7.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K CHF 8,640

$10.2K CHF 8,046

7.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,560 CHF 6,771

$7,386 CHF 5,842

15.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,299 CHF 5,773

$7,296 CHF 5,771

0.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

25.00%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chur: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in St. Gallen versus $1,526 in Chur. 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 0% higher in St. Gallen, 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 $150 in St. Gallen versus $98.0 in Chur. Groceries tell a different story – $612 in St. Gallen vs $629 in Chur – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,604 in St. Gallen, $3,056 in Chur – roughly 18% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,406 per month in St. Gallen and $4,585 in Chur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,846 per month in St. Gallen and $2,504 in Chur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in St. Gallen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,604 in St. Gallen and $3,056 in Chur. 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 $3,056 in Chur to $3,604 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 Chur. 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.