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: $3,573 in Thun versus $1,897 in Nelson.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,324 in Thun versus $2,922 in Nelson.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,074 in Thun versus $3,948 in Nelson.

Living in Thun is roughly 88% more expensive than in Nelson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 160% above, Nelson 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.64 CHF 23.93

$14.61 NZ$24.83

102.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 102

$68.9 NZ$117

83.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.30 CHF 13.17

$9.01 NZ$15.31

80.91%

Cappuccino

$6.70 CHF 5.41

$3.46 NZ$5.88

93.64%

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

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$1.83 NZ$3.10

253.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.05

$1.84 NZ$3.13

240.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.23 CHF 7.46

$7.88 NZ$13.39

17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 CHF 6.70

$5.89 NZ$10.01

40.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$1.95 NZ$3.32

19.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 CHF 2.43

$2.19 NZ$3.72

37.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.74

$1.96 NZ$3.33

73.47%

Eggs

$8.04 CHF 6.50

$5.94 NZ$10.08

35.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.49 CHF 20.58

$9.64 NZ$16.37

164.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.69 CHF 23.16

$8.01 NZ$13.61

258.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.02

$14.18 NZ$24.09

179.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$3.19 NZ$5.42

14.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.27 NZ$3.85

3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.40

$3.22 NZ$5.47

-7.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 CHF 3.87

$6.14 NZ$10.43

-21.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 CHF 1.26

$2.28 NZ$3.87

-31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$1.29 NZ$2.20

60.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.20 NZ$3.74

5.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.10

$1.12 NZ$1.89

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.81 CHF 9.53

$26.63 NZ$45.24

-55.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 CHF 10.14

$10.21 NZ$17.35

23.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$3.25 NZ$5.52

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CHF 2.36

$3.00 NZ$5.10

-2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.39 CHF 3.54

$2.42 NZ$4.11

81.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CHF 83.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 CHF 6.49

$1.91 NZ$3.24

320.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.60 CHF 3.72

$1.93 NZ$3.28

138.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.6 CHF 69.9

$34.90 NZ$59.3

148.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$1.64 NZ$2.79

45.73%

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

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

$17.8K NZ$30.2K

149.32%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$23.6K NZ$40.0K

72.29%

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

$306 CHF 247

$136 NZ$230

125.60%

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

$53.9 CHF 43.55

$33.60 NZ$57.1

60.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CHF 52.6

$41.87 NZ$71.1

55.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 CHF 76.9

$59.5 NZ$101

60.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.55 CHF 37.59

$35.72 NZ$60.7

30.32%

Cinema Ticket

$23.69 CHF 19.13

$11.17 NZ$18.98

112.09%

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

$3,089 CHF 2,494

$483 NZ$820

539.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

$13.6K NZ$23.2K

133.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 123

$56.2 NZ$95.5

171.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.9 CHF 67.0

$30.29 NZ$51.5

173.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 134

$106 NZ$180

56.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 163

$144 NZ$245

40.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 CHF 1,466

$1,063 NZ$1,806

70.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CHF 1,221

$850 NZ$1,445

77.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,362

$1,786 NZ$3,035

63.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,016

$1,510 NZ$2,565

65.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$1,460 NZ$2,480

1018.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$905 NZ$1,538

1294.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,082 CHF 4,911

$2,133 NZ$3,623

185.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

5.39

-54.92%

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

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nelson: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,816 in Thun and $1,063 in Nelson. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thun pays 185% 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: $126 in Thun vs $69.0 in Nelson for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $583 vs $332 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 88% 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 185% 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: $1,816 in Thun versus $1,063 in Nelson. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,089 in Thun versus $483 in Nelson. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nelson – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $126 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,897 in Nelson versus $3,573 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 88% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.