Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Chur

For one person, living is cheaper in Chur: $3,283 a month against $3,451 in St. Gallen, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in St. Gallen outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

St. Gallen, Switzerland
Chur, Switzerland
St. Gallen
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,451
/mo nomad
Chur
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,283
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St. Gallen and in Chur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in St. Gallen and in Chur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,451 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,283 in Chur, rent included.

  • St. Gallen $3,451
  • Chur $3,283

A couple spends around $5,120 per month in St. Gallen vs $5,109 in Chur, rent included.

  • St. Gallen $5,120
  • Chur $5,109

A family of three spends $6,789 per month in St. Gallen vs $6,934 in Chur, rent included.

  • St. Gallen $6,789
  • Chur $6,934

St. Gallen costs about 5% more than Chur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both St. Gallen and Chur sit above the global median – St. Gallen by 154%, Chur by 141%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.78 CHF 23.88
$29.44 CHF 24.42
-2.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$144 CHF 119
$111 CHF 91.9
29.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.04 CHF 14.97
$15.99 CHF 13.27
12.82%
Cappuccino
$6.03 CHF 5.00
$5.67 CHF 4.70
6.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95 CHF 4.94
$5.51 CHF 4.57
7.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.10 CHF 4.23
$5.08 CHF 4.21
0.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.80 CHF 7.30
$8.69 CHF 7.21
1.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.38 CHF 5.29
$8.68 CHF 7.20
-26.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 CHF 1.87
$2.15 CHF 1.79
4.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.16 CHF 2.62
$3.42 CHF 2.84
-7.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.77 CHF 3.13
$4.22 CHF 3.50
-10.66%
Eggs
$7.72 CHF 6.40
$7.59 CHF 6.29
1.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.91 CHF 20.67
$26.51 CHF 21.99
-6.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$29.02 CHF 24.08
$26.64 CHF 22.10
8.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.94 CHF 33.14
$39.08 CHF 32.42
2.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.06 CHF 2.54
$3.42 CHF 2.84
-10.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 CHF 1.29
$2.13 CHF 1.76
-26.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.40 CHF 1.99
$2.68 CHF 2.22
-10.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.17 CHF 5.12
$4.58 CHF 3.80
34.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.71 CHF 1.42
$1.89 CHF 1.57
-9.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 CHF 1.77
$2.18 CHF 1.81
-1.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.20 CHF 1.83
$2.36 CHF 1.96
-6.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 CHF 0.98
$1.36 CHF 1.13
-13.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.98 CHF 9.11
$10.94 CHF 9.08
0.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.23 CHF 9.32
$12.75 CHF 10.58
-11.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 CHF 1.74
$2.38 CHF 1.97
-11.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 CHF 1.89
$3.40 CHF 2.82
-32.94%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.08 CHF 3.38
$5.47 CHF 4.54
-25.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 CHF 71.7
$184 CHF 153
-53.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.62 CHF 5.49
$7.46 CHF 6.19
-11.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.76 CHF 3.95
$4.94 CHF 4.10
-3.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$79.2 CHF 65.7
$88.7 CHF 73.6
-10.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 CHF 1.85
$2.22 CHF 1.84
0.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K CHF 31.8K
$39.1K CHF 32.4K
-1.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K CHF 32.0K
$38.5K CHF 31.9K
0.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$312 CHF 259
$232 CHF 193
34.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.60 CHF 31.19
$31.60 CHF 26.22
18.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.0 CHF 44.76
$53.8 CHF 44.64
0.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$79.6 CHF 66.0
$78.3 CHF 64.9
1.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$33.63 CHF 27.90
-
Cinema Ticket
$28.27 CHF 23.45
$23.22 CHF 19.26
21.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,308 CHF 1,915
$2,413 CHF 2,001
-4.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.2K CHF 26.7K
$44.9K CHF 37.3K
-28.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$144 CHF 120
$91.1 CHF 75.6
58.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.0 CHF 53.1
$48.03 CHF 39.84
33.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$146 CHF 121
$120 CHF 99.5
21.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$183 CHF 152
$169 CHF 140
8.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,895 CHF 1,572
$1,715 CHF 1,422
10.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,504 CHF 1,248
$1,379 CHF 1,144
9.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,868 CHF 2,379
$3,015 CHF 2,501
-4.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,256 CHF 1,871
$2,550 CHF 2,116
-11.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.3K CHF 9,337
$7,109 CHF 5,897
58.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,285 CHF 6,873
$5,446 CHF 4,518
52.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Gallen
Chur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,694 CHF 5,553
$8,497 CHF 7,049
-21.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.1
1.72
22.09%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chur: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
St. Gallen
$1.5K
Chur
$1.4K 8.3% $125
Groceries & Markets
St. Gallen
$575
Chur
$576 0.3% $1.6
Eating Out
St. Gallen
$458
Chur
$455 0.7% $3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Gallen
$404
Chur
$318 21.3% $86
Clothing & Footwear
St. Gallen
$242
Chur
$193 20.4% $49
Sport & Entertainment
St. Gallen
$136
Chur
$125 8.4% $11
Getting Around
St. Gallen
$133
Chur
$238 79% $105

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,895 in St. Gallen versus $1,715 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 27% higher in Chur, 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 $144 in St. Gallen versus $111 in Chur. Groceries tell a different story – $575 in St. Gallen vs $576 in Chur – so St. Gallen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇭 St. Gallen
🇨🇭 Chur
🕒 Local time
23:54 11:54 PM
23:54 11:54 PM
Same time as St. Gallen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,213
37,082
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.924 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • St. Gallen Chur 64 km
From you
  • St. Gallen
  • Chur

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in St. Gallen and in Chur compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,451 in St. Gallen, $3,283 in Chur – Chur comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in St. Gallen compared to Chur?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,177 per month in St. Gallen and $4,924 in Chur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between St. Gallen and Chur?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chur, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,715 there versus $1,895 in St. Gallen.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in St. Gallen and $111 in Chur. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in St. Gallen and in Chur?
Public transport costs about 53% less in St. Gallen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,451 in St. Gallen and $3,283 in Chur. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between St. Gallen and Chur?
It depends on your priorities. St. Gallen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,283 in Chur to $3,451 in St. Gallen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is St. Gallen or Chur safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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