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: $3,525 in Thun versus $2,031 in Nelson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,293 in Thun versus $3,093 in Nelson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,060 in Thun versus $4,155 in Nelson.

Living in Thun is roughly 74% more expensive than Nelson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 163% above, Nelson 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.21 CHF 22.26

$21.08 NZ$35.90

33.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 97.7

$85.8 NZ$146

44.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.30 CHF 13.66

$9.88 NZ$16.83

75.10%

Cappuccino

$5.89 CHF 4.65

$3.30 NZ$5.63

78.48%

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

$4.75 CHF 3.75

$2.62 NZ$4.47

81.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.81

$2.74 NZ$4.66

76.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.48 CHF 6.69

$7.21 NZ$12.28

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 CHF 6.05

$6.08 NZ$10.36

26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.75

$2.35 NZ$4.00

-5.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.69

$2.24 NZ$3.81

51.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 CHF 3.26

$2.26 NZ$3.86

82.74%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.78

$6.09 NZ$10.37

20.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.79 CHF 21.15

$9.98 NZ$17.00

168.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.73 CHF 22.68

$7.88 NZ$13.43

264.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.10 CHF 32.44

$15.70 NZ$26.74

161.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.81

$3.50 NZ$5.96

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.52 NZ$4.29

-14.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.20

$3.01 NZ$5.12

-7.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 CHF 4.99

$6.68 NZ$11.37

-5.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$3.68 NZ$6.27

-39.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.60 NZ$4.43

-16.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$2.60 NZ$4.43

-2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CHF 0.87

$1.29 NZ$2.20

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 8.76

$29.83 NZ$50.8

-62.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 CHF 9.98

$9.97 NZ$16.98

26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.50

$3.07 NZ$5.23

-38.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.80

$4.53 NZ$7.72

-49.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.02

$2.38 NZ$4.05

60.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 CHF 78.9

$64.9 NZ$111

53.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 CHF 6.23

$4.24 NZ$7.23

86.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 CHF 2.61

$1.79 NZ$3.05

84.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.2 CHF 52.3

$34.87 NZ$59.4

89.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.72 NZ$2.93

30.23%

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

$40.3K CHF 31.8K

$18.5K NZ$31.6K

117.28%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.2K

$22.0K NZ$37.4K

85.59%

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

$366 CHF 289

$221 NZ$376

65.59%

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

$59.6 CHF 47.00

$35.09 NZ$59.8

69.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 CHF 46.75

$48.83 NZ$83.2

21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 CHF 68.3

$48.04 NZ$81.8

80.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 NZ$36.59

Cinema Ticket

$24.60 CHF 19.42

$9.89 NZ$16.85

148.74%

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

$3,030 CHF 2,391

$487 NZ$829

522.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.9K CHF 26.7K

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

182.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 120

$60.6 NZ$103

151.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 CHF 55.1

$66.5 NZ$113

4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 139

$130 NZ$222

35.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 147

$110 NZ$187

69.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CHF 1,331

$989 NZ$1,685

70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 CHF 1,162

$742 NZ$1,263

98.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,870 CHF 2,265

$1,424 NZ$2,425

101.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CHF 1,972

$1,193 NZ$2,033

109.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,920 NZ$6,678

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,647 CHF 6,035

$3,214 NZ$5,476

137.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,206 CHF 4,898

$2,429 NZ$4,137

155.53%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nelson: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Thun and $989 in Nelson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 156% 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: $124 in Thun vs $86.0 in Nelson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $360 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 74% 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.

Thun pays 156% more on average, 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: $1,687 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 66% 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 $86.0 versus $124 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,031 in Nelson versus $3,525 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 74% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.