Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Switzerland

Name: Switzerland
Address: CH

For one person, living is cheaper in the United States: $2,734 a month against $3,612 in Switzerland, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
174

Cost of Living Index in Switzerland
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Switzerland Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,612

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in Switzerland

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in Switzerland actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in the United States versus $3,612 in Switzerland.

United States $2,734
Switzerland $3,612

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in the United States versus $5,498 in Switzerland.

United States $3,985
Switzerland $5,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,235 in the United States versus $7,384 in Switzerland.

United States $5,235
Switzerland $7,384

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $1,976–$5,153 in Switzerland. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the United States costs about 24% less than in Switzerland on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: the United States 101% above, Switzerland 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$29.97 CHF 24.72

-33.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$119 CHF 97.9

-32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$18.30 CHF 15.09

-35.52%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$6.19 CHF 5.11

-10.34%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$5.23 CHF 4.31

-49.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$4.97 CHF 4.10

-56.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$9.18 CHF 7.57

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.16 CHF 5.91

10.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.15 CHF 1.78

-51.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.71 CHF 3.06

-3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.71 CHF 3.06

21.83%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$7.77 CHF 6.41

-44.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$25.73 CHF 21.23

-48.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$28.14 CHF 23.22

-55.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$43.32 CHF 35.74

-59.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.74 CHF 3.08

41.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.74 CHF 2.26

62.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.01 CHF 4.13

-4.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.07 CHF 1.71

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.11 CHF 1.74

49.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.36 CHF 1.12

72.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$10.67 CHF 8.80

2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.36 CHF 11.02

12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.76 CHF 2.28

-25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.92 CHF 2.41

29.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$4.34 CHF 3.58

-55.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$100 CHF 82.8

-40.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$7.83 CHF 6.46

-54.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$4.57 CHF 3.77

-58.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$85.2 CHF 70.3

-64.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.27 CHF 1.87

-55.07%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

-27.17%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$38.8K CHF 32.0K

-32.46%

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

$218 $218

$280 CHF 231

-22.22%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$37.53 CHF 30.96

66.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$58.1 CHF 47.94

28.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$84.1 CHF 69.3

-50.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$47.13 CHF 38.87

-51.60%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$23.81 CHF 19.64

-38.26%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$2,987 CHF 2,464

-50.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$35.3K CHF 29.1K

-28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$138 CHF 114

-60.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$65.6 CHF 54.1

-34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$150 CHF 124

-37.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$191 CHF 157

-40.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$2,074 CHF 1,711

-19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$1,639 CHF 1,352

-17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$3,559 CHF 2,936

-24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$2,840 CHF 2,342

-23.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

-82.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$12.9K CHF 10.7K

-80.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$7,033 CHF 5,802

-38.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

2.07

216.43%

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for Switzerland: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Switzerland

$1.6K 45.4% 21.6% $291

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

Switzerland

$602 16.7% 45% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Switzerland

$376 10.4% 5.9% $21

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

Switzerland

$470 13% 43.3% $142

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Switzerland

$245 6.8% 78.8% $108

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

Switzerland

$148 4.1% 85.2% $68

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

Switzerland

$132 3.7% 84.8% $60

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,620 in the United States, $1,790 in Switzerland. Capital cities: $2,768 in Washington, DC vs $2,102 in Bern.

National salary averages: $4,549 in the United States, $7,158 in Switzerland. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 10% higher in Switzerland.

Dining out costs 68% more in Switzerland.

Public transport is 67% more expensive in Switzerland.

Salaries are 57% higher in Switzerland, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Switzerland.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇨🇭 Switzerland

🕒 Local time

20:12 8:12 PM

01:12 1:12 AM

5 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

8,902,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

CHF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

United States Switzerland 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

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United States
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

United States vs Switzerland: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $3,612 per month in Switzerland and $2,734 in the United States, the United States comes out about 24% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in the United States: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,790 in Switzerland and $1,620 in the United States. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

It depends on what you’re after: the United States wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.