Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Geneva Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Geneva

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,461 per month in Yens vs $4,177 in Geneva, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,201 per month in Yens vs $6,255 in Geneva, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,941 per month in Yens vs $8,333 in Geneva, rent included.

Yens is about 17% cheaper than Geneva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Yens and Geneva sit above the global median – Yens by 152%, Geneva by 204%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.66 CHF 24.11

$30.77 CHF 25.02

-3.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$133 CHF 108

-9.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.06 CHF 13.06

$18.66 CHF 15.17

-13.93%

Cappuccino

$6.18 CHF 5.03

$6.56 CHF 5.33

-5.79%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.28

$4.98 CHF 4.05

5.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 CHF 3.38

$4.25 CHF 3.46

-2.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.59 CHF 7.80

$9.63 CHF 7.83

-0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 CHF 6.45

$9.97 CHF 8.10

-20.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.83

$2.39 CHF 1.94

-5.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CHF 2.52

$3.50 CHF 2.84

-11.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.65

$3.33 CHF 2.71

-2.10%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$8.08 CHF 6.57

-9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 CHF 20.46

$25.34 CHF 20.60

-0.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.17 CHF 23.72

$29.32 CHF 23.84

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.85 CHF 33.21

$42.61 CHF 34.64

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$3.46 CHF 2.82

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$1.75 CHF 1.42

25.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$2.80 CHF 2.28

-9.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 CHF 3.73

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.52

$1.61 CHF 1.31

16.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.13 CHF 1.73

3.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.12

$1.73 CHF 1.41

-20.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.96

$11.15 CHF 9.06

-1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CHF 10.10

$12.17 CHF 9.90

2.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.91

$3.43 CHF 2.78

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CHF 2.32

$3.51 CHF 2.85

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 CHF 3.52

$3.64 CHF 2.96

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 82.7

$91.7 CHF 74.6

10.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.34 CHF 6.78

$7.50 CHF 6.09

11.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.68 CHF 3.80

$4.06 CHF 3.30

15.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.7

$65.7 CHF 53.4

34.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-1.69%

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

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

$39.5K CHF 32.1K

10.03%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.4K

$40.4K CHF 32.9K

1.64%

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

$277 CHF 225

$288 CHF 234

-3.84%

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

$29.46 CHF 23.95

$38.71 CHF 31.47

-23.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CHF 41.88

$57.0 CHF 46.33

-9.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.8 CHF 75.5

$78.6 CHF 63.9

18.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.39 CHF 37.71

$45.32 CHF 36.84

2.36%

Cinema Ticket

$25.04 CHF 20.36

$24.59 CHF 19.99

1.83%

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

$3,081 CHF 2,505

$2,455 CHF 1,996

25.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

$36.0K CHF 29.2K

-11.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$139 CHF 113

4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 CHF 50.9

$80.4 CHF 65.3

-22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 116

$170 CHF 138

-15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 162

$192 CHF 156

4.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CHF 1,466

$2,828 CHF 2,299

-36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 CHF 1,237

$2,136 CHF 1,736

-28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 CHF 2,348

$4,724 CHF 3,840

-38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 CHF 2,028

$3,738 CHF 3,039

-33.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

-28.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

-22.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,375 CHF 5,996

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.98

-1.52%

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

Last update for Yens: September 1, 2026

Last update for Geneva: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,804 in Yens versus $2,828 in Geneva. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Yens versus $133 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $581 vs $605 – making Yens the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yens vs Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,192 per month in Yens and $6,266 in Geneva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yens, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Yens and $133 in Geneva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,461 in Yens and $4,177 in Geneva. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Yens – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Yens. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.