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 $3,566 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,116 in Chur, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,365 per month in St. Gallen vs $5,144 in Chur, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,165 per month in St. Gallen vs $7,172 in Chur, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 14% more than Chur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both St. Gallen and Chur sit above the global median – St. Gallen by 168%, Chur by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.77 CHF 25.03

$30.40 CHF 24.73

1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 118

$98.1 CHF 79.8

48.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 15.05

$15.99 CHF 13.01

15.76%

Cappuccino

$6.31 CHF 5.13

$5.91 CHF 4.81

6.77%

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

$5.72 CHF 4.65

$4.56 CHF 3.71

25.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.30

$4.27 CHF 3.47

23.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 CHF 6.25

$7.20 CHF 5.85

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.83

$7.40 CHF 6.02

-3.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CHF 2.16

$3.63 CHF 2.96

-27.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.88

$4.12 CHF 3.35

-14.08%

Eggs

$7.92 CHF 6.44

$7.69 CHF 6.25

2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.07 CHF 22.83

$29.99 CHF 24.39

-6.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.38 CHF 26.34

$34.85 CHF 28.35

-7.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.83 CHF 34.02

$35.79 CHF 29.11

16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.58

$3.82 CHF 3.10

-16.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.50

$2.24 CHF 1.83

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.09

$2.53 CHF 2.05

1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.11 CHF 5.78

$5.66 CHF 4.61

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CHF 2.10

$1.75 CHF 1.43

48.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$2.20 CHF 1.79

5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CHF 1.96

$2.24 CHF 1.82

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.21 CHF 0.99

-4.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 CHF 8.76

$10.89 CHF 8.86

-1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 CHF 9.32

$13.11 CHF 10.66

-12.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.52 CHF 2.05

-12.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$3.43 CHF 2.79

-33.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 CHF 3.49

$5.54 CHF 4.51

-22.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 CHF 64.8

$186 CHF 151

-57.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 CHF 5.43

$8.27 CHF 6.73

-19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.48

$4.11 CHF 3.34

3.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.6 CHF 64.0

$61.9 CHF 50.3

27.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.16 CHF 1.76

1.39%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$38.7K CHF 31.5K

5.79%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

$36.6K CHF 29.8K

11.17%

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

$330 CHF 268

$249 CHF 203

32.39%

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

$59.2 CHF 48.19

$24.75 CHF 20.13

139.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 CHF 43.26

$49.35 CHF 40.14

7.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 CHF 65.3

$86.0 CHF 69.9

-6.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$98.6 CHF 80.2

$36.32 CHF 29.54

171.42%

Cinema Ticket

$30.77 CHF 25.03

$22.19 CHF 18.05

38.67%

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

$2,877 CHF 2,340

$2,483 CHF 2,020

15.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.2K

$43.1K CHF 35.1K

-19.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 121

$138 CHF 112

7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.0 CHF 54.5

$37.26 CHF 30.31

79.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 126

$134 CHF 109

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 CHF 192

$161 CHF 131

47.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 CHF 1,490

$1,494 CHF 1,215

22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 CHF 1,252

$1,111 CHF 903

38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,720 CHF 2,213

$2,967 CHF 2,413

-8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 CHF 1,904

$2,584 CHF 2,102

-9.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,997

$7,264 CHF 5,908

69.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,211 CHF 7,492

$5,428 CHF 4,415

69.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,725 CHF 5,470

$6,830 CHF 5,556

-1.54%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chur: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,831 in St. Gallen versus $1,494 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 2% 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 $145 in St. Gallen versus $98.0 in Chur. Groceries tell a different story – $614 in St. Gallen vs $628 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: $3,566 in St. Gallen, $3,116 in Chur – roughly 14% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,348 per month in St. Gallen and $4,675 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 $2,877 per month in St. Gallen and $2,483 in Chur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $3,566 in St. Gallen and $3,116 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 $3,116 in Chur to $3,566 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.