Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Nelson Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Nelson

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,518 in Thun versus $2,065 in Nelson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,320 in Thun versus $3,086 in Nelson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,122 in Thun versus $4,108 in Nelson.

Living in Thun is roughly 70% more expensive than in Nelson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 163% above, Nelson 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.19 CHF 22.83

$21.48 NZ$36.69

31.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 98.6

$83.4 NZ$142

45.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.95 CHF 13.73

$9.66 NZ$16.50

75.47%

Cappuccino

$6.01 CHF 4.87

$3.29 NZ$5.63

82.67%

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

$4.73 CHF 3.83

$2.59 NZ$4.43

82.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.86

$2.69 NZ$4.59

77.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.64

$7.36 NZ$12.58

11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 CHF 6.32

$5.99 NZ$10.24

30.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.39 NZ$4.08

-10.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$2.22 NZ$3.80

48.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 CHF 3.32

$2.34 NZ$4.00

75.21%

Eggs

$7.16 CHF 5.80

$6.09 NZ$10.41

17.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.07 CHF 21.93

$9.83 NZ$16.79

175.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.91 CHF 23.42

$7.79 NZ$13.31

271.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.40 CHF 33.53

$15.86 NZ$27.10

161.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.88

$3.61 NZ$6.16

-1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.62 NZ$4.48

-16.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$3.14 NZ$5.36

-12.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 CHF 5.22

$6.68 NZ$11.41

-3.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.74

$3.81 NZ$6.51

-43.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.56 NZ$4.37

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.54 NZ$4.34

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$1.28 NZ$2.18

-10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 9.15

$29.98 NZ$51.2

-62.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.87

$9.66 NZ$16.51

26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.54

$3.11 NZ$5.31

-38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$4.63 NZ$7.91

-49.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$2.38 NZ$4.07

60.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 79.0

$64.4 NZ$110

51.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$4.14 NZ$7.08

85.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$1.77 NZ$3.03

85.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.3 CHF 53.7

$35.34 NZ$60.4

87.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.71 NZ$2.92

25.15%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$18.2K NZ$31.1K

119.81%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.7K

$22.5K NZ$38.4K

84.67%

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

$376 CHF 304

$217 NZ$371

73.00%

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

$59.0 CHF 47.76

$36.21 NZ$61.9

62.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 46.86

$49.46 NZ$84.5

16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 70.7

$48.81 NZ$83.4

78.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.79 NZ$35.52

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.60

$10.11 NZ$17.26

139.37%

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

$3,051 CHF 2,472

$486 NZ$830

528.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.1K

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

181.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 124

$60.5 NZ$103

153.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 CHF 57.0

$66.1 NZ$113

6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 141

$132 NZ$226

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 CHF 148

$109 NZ$186

67.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CHF 1,388

$989 NZ$1,689

73.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,203

$735 NZ$1,255

102.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,327

$1,396 NZ$2,384

105.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 CHF 1,960

$1,193 NZ$2,037

102.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,818 NZ$6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,289 CHF 5,904

$3,099 NZ$5,293

135.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,799 CHF 4,697

$2,325 NZ$3,971

149.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

6.82

-63.34%

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

Last update for Thun: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nelson: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,714 in Thun and $989 in Nelson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 149% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $122 in Thun vs $83.0 in Nelson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $362 per month, with Nelson cheaper across the board.

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

Thun vs Nelson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nelson wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Thun. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nelson the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 149% higher in Thun, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,714 in Thun versus $989 in Nelson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Thun. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nelson – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $122 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,065 in Nelson versus $3,518 in Thun, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nelson but tight or insufficient in Thun. The gap between the two cities makes Nelson the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Thun and Nelson are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nelson gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.