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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,566 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,445 in Schwyz, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,365 per month in St. Gallen vs $5,317 in Schwyz, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,165 per month in St. Gallen vs $7,188 in Schwyz, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 3% more than Schwyz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both St. Gallen and Schwyz sit above the global median – St. Gallen by 168%, Schwyz by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.77 CHF 24.84

$32.01 CHF 25.85

-3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$148 CHF 119

-1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 14.94

$19.05 CHF 15.38

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$6.31 CHF 5.10

$6.75 CHF 5.45

-6.52%

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

$5.72 CHF 4.62

$5.73 CHF 4.63

-0.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.27

$5.59 CHF 4.52

-5.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 CHF 6.20

$7.44 CHF 6.00

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.79

$7.21 CHF 5.82

-0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$2.21 CHF 1.78

3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CHF 2.14

$3.94 CHF 3.18

-32.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.86

$3.72 CHF 3.00

-4.84%

Eggs

$7.92 CHF 6.39

$8.18 CHF 6.61

-3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.07 CHF 22.66

$27.58 CHF 22.27

1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.38 CHF 26.14

$32.42 CHF 26.18

-0.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.83 CHF 33.77

$41.14 CHF 33.22

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.56

$3.14 CHF 2.53

1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.48

$2.14 CHF 1.73

-14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$2.49 CHF 2.01

3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.11 CHF 5.74

$7.12 CHF 5.75

-0.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CHF 2.09

$2.24 CHF 1.81

15.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CHF 1.94

$2.50 CHF 2.02

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 CHF 8.70

$10.66 CHF 8.60

1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 CHF 9.26

$12.99 CHF 10.49

-11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.29 CHF 3.46

$3.94 CHF 3.18

8.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.6 CHF 64.3

$99.2 CHF 80.1

-19.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 CHF 5.39

$6.66 CHF 5.38

0.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.45

$4.26 CHF 3.44

0.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.6 CHF 63.5

$79.7 CHF 64.4

-1.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.16 CHF 1.74

1.39%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.1K

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

2.32%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

-3.25%

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

$330 CHF 266

$298 CHF 240

10.77%

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

$59.2 CHF 47.83

$60.4 CHF 48.75

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 CHF 42.94

$52.9 CHF 42.72

0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 CHF 64.8

$88.4 CHF 71.3

-9.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$98.6 CHF 79.6

$49.39 CHF 39.88

99.60%

Cinema Ticket

$30.77 CHF 24.85

$23.37 CHF 18.87

31.66%

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

$2,877 CHF 2,323

$2,875 CHF 2,321

0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.0K

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

-13.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 120

$111 CHF 89.4

34.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.0 CHF 54.1

$54.6 CHF 44.11

22.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 126

$153 CHF 123

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 CHF 191

$189 CHF 153

24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 CHF 1,479

$1,682 CHF 1,358

8.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 CHF 1,243

$1,467 CHF 1,184

4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,720 CHF 2,196

$2,825 CHF 2,281

-3.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 CHF 1,890

$2,488 CHF 2,009

-5.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,923

$15.9K CHF 12.9K

-22.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,211 CHF 7,437

$10.5K CHF 8,468

-12.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,725 CHF 5,430

$7,091 CHF 5,725

-5.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

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

Last update for St. Gallen: July 26, 2026

Last update for Schwyz: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,831 in St. Gallen versus $1,682 in Schwyz. 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 5% higher in Schwyz, 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 $148 in Schwyz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $614 vs $629 – making St. Gallen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,566 in St. Gallen, $3,445 in Schwyz – roughly 3% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,348 per month in St. Gallen and $5,168 in Schwyz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $145 in St. Gallen and $148 in Schwyz. 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 $3,566 in St. Gallen and $3,445 in Schwyz. 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 $3,445 in Schwyz 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 Schwyz. 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.