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 $3,604 per month in St. Gallen vs $3,501 in Schwyz, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,448 per month in St. Gallen vs $5,428 in Schwyz, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,293 per month in St. Gallen vs $7,356 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 169%, Schwyz by 161%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 CHF 23.95

$32.29 CHF 25.54

-6.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 119

$146 CHF 116

2.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.21 CHF 14.40

$18.80 CHF 14.87

-3.14%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.11

$6.81 CHF 5.39

-5.14%

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

$5.67 CHF 4.49

$5.87 CHF 4.64

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 CHF 4.05

$5.58 CHF 4.41

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 CHF 5.85

$7.38 CHF 5.84

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 CHF 5.63

$7.51 CHF 5.94

-5.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$2.24 CHF 1.77

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CHF 2.05

$3.91 CHF 3.09

-33.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$3.70 CHF 2.93

-1.89%

Eggs

$8.02 CHF 6.35

$8.12 CHF 6.42

-1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.88 CHF 22.05

$27.38 CHF 21.66

1.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.80 CHF 25.16

$32.37 CHF 25.60

-1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.82 CHF 33.08

$40.75 CHF 32.24

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 CHF 2.61

$3.17 CHF 2.51

4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.50

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$2.45 CHF 1.94

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 CHF 5.81

$6.95 CHF 5.49

5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.34 CHF 1.85

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-6.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.89

$1.10 CHF 0.87

2.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CHF 8.68

$11.00 CHF 8.70

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 CHF 9.14

$12.48 CHF 9.87

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$2.33 CHF 1.84

3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.33 CHF 3.43

$3.94 CHF 3.12

9.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 CHF 63.3

$100 CHF 79.1

-20.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 CHF 5.26

$6.88 CHF 5.44

-3.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 CHF 63.3

$80.3 CHF 63.6

-0.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

0.74%

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

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$41.4K CHF 32.8K

1.94%

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

$335 CHF 265

$292 CHF 231

14.61%

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

$58.4 CHF 46.15

$59.9 CHF 47.35

-2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 CHF 41.81

$53.8 CHF 42.57

-1.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.0 CHF 65.6

$87.8 CHF 69.4

-5.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$98.7 CHF 78.1

Cinema Ticket

$30.64 CHF 24.23

$23.85 CHF 18.87

28.47%

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

$2,846 CHF 2,251

$2,885 CHF 2,282

-1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

-14.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 115

$110 CHF 87.1

32.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 52.3

$54.2 CHF 42.87

22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 124

$156 CHF 123

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$237 CHF 188

$189 CHF 149

25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,451

$1,723 CHF 1,363

6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 CHF 1,204

$1,472 CHF 1,165

3.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,804 CHF 2,218

$2,832 CHF 2,240

-1.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 CHF 1,867

$2,463 CHF 1,948

-4.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K CHF 8,640

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,560 CHF 6,771

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,299 CHF 5,773

$7,325 CHF 5,794

-0.36%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Schwyz: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in St. Gallen versus $1,723 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 0% 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 $150 in St. Gallen versus $146 in Schwyz. Groceries tell a different story – $612 in St. Gallen vs $624 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: $3,604 in St. Gallen, $3,501 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 $5,406 per month in St. Gallen and $5,251 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 $150 in St. Gallen and $146 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 $3,604 in St. Gallen and $3,501 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 $3,501 in Schwyz 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 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.