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 $3,591 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,506 in Schwyz, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,378 per month in St. Gallen vs $5,376 in Schwyz, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,164 per month in St. Gallen vs $7,246 in Schwyz, rent included.

St. Gallen costs about 2% more than Schwyz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both St. Gallen and Schwyz sit above the global median – St. Gallen by 169%, Schwyz by 163%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 CHF 23.99

$32.43 CHF 25.72

-6.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$151 CHF 119

$149 CHF 118

1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.53 CHF 14.70

$19.35 CHF 15.35

-4.24%

Cappuccino

$6.36 CHF 5.04

$6.69 CHF 5.31

-4.93%

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

$5.82 CHF 4.62

$5.71 CHF 4.53

1.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 CHF 4.25

$5.57 CHF 4.42

-3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 CHF 5.83

$7.61 CHF 6.03

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 CHF 5.59

$7.45 CHF 5.91

-5.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.21 CHF 1.76

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CHF 2.13

$3.94 CHF 3.12

-31.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.83

$3.64 CHF 2.89

-1.92%

Eggs

$8.23 CHF 6.53

$8.18 CHF 6.49

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.13 CHF 22.31

$27.53 CHF 21.83

2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.91 CHF 26.10

$32.76 CHF 25.98

0.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.33 CHF 32.78

$41.72 CHF 33.09

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 CHF 2.58

$3.23 CHF 2.56

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.46

$2.06 CHF 1.63

-10.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.96

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-2.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.17 CHF 5.68

$7.16 CHF 5.68

0.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.34 CHF 1.85

11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.87

$2.27 CHF 1.80

3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$2.63 CHF 2.08

-12.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.88

$1.15 CHF 0.91

-3.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.67 CHF 8.47

$10.89 CHF 8.64

-2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 CHF 9.09

$12.60 CHF 10.00

-9.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 CHF 1.81

$2.25 CHF 1.79

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$2.30 CHF 1.82

0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.25 CHF 3.37

$3.84 CHF 3.05

10.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.4 CHF 64.6

$97.8 CHF 77.5

-16.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 CHF 5.44

$6.95 CHF 5.52

-1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$4.28 CHF 3.40

-3.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.9 CHF 64.1

$78.8 CHF 62.5

2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$2.22 CHF 1.76

-4.05%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.5K

$40.2K CHF 31.9K

1.90%

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

$41.7K CHF 33.0K

$41.6K CHF 33.0K

0.26%

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

$332 CHF 263

$298 CHF 237

11.39%

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

$58.9 CHF 46.73

$60.0 CHF 47.59

-1.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 CHF 42.26

$53.7 CHF 42.55

-0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 CHF 65.2

$88.6 CHF 70.3

-7.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$99.8 CHF 79.1

Cinema Ticket

$30.44 CHF 24.14

$23.32 CHF 18.50

30.53%

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

$2,823 CHF 2,239

$2,827 CHF 2,242

-0.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.0K CHF 27.8K

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

-14.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 115

$108 CHF 85.6

34.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CHF 52.8

$53.1 CHF 42.10

25.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 CHF 122

$153 CHF 122

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 CHF 187

$186 CHF 148

26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 CHF 1,443

$1,720 CHF 1,364

5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 CHF 1,228

$1,491 CHF 1,182

3.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 CHF 2,221

$2,803 CHF 2,223

-0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,376 CHF 1,884

$2,508 CHF 1,989

-5.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K CHF 9,949

$19.6K CHF 15.5K

-35.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,065

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

-31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,953 CHF 5,514

$7,297 CHF 5,788

-4.72%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Schwyz: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,819 in St. Gallen versus $1,720 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 $151 in St. Gallen versus $149 in Schwyz. Groceries tell a different story – $616 in St. Gallen vs $632 in Schwyz – 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 Schwyz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,591 in St. Gallen, $3,506 in Schwyz – roughly 2% apart. St. Gallen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,387 per month in St. Gallen and $5,260 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 3% 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 $151 in St. Gallen and $149 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 $3,591 in St. Gallen and $3,506 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 $3,506 in Schwyz to $3,591 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.