📅 Last updated: 2026-02-24

Cost of Living in St. Gallen for a Single Professional (2026) – Salary, Rent, Taxes & Savings

St. Gallen, capital of Eastern Switzerland, offers professionals affordable living with excellent career opportunities in finance, insurance, and textiles. This assessment calculates your expected monthly expenses in this UNESCO-recognized city. Home to a renowned university and business school, St. Gallen combines historic charm with modern industry. Our calculator estimates rent, taxes, health insurance, and daily costs.

With a gross salary of CHF 10’000, a single professional in St. Gallen can expect to save CHF 4’158–CHF 5’158 per month, placing them above the Swiss urban comfort threshold.
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Real calculator output for a single professional in St. Gallen

Based on real Swiss cantonal tax logic, housing indices, and mandatory health insurance baselines.

📍 St. Gallen 👤 Single Professional 💰 CHF 10’000/month
In St. Gallen, fixed costs consume approximately 27% of a single professional's gross income, which is in line with the Swiss average of ~27% (using Swiss Average as a reference baseline).
Gross Salary
CHF 10’000
Monthly income
Base salary input
Estimated Taxes
CHF 2’100 – CHF 3’100
21% – 31% rate
Derived from St. Gallen cantonal logic
Housing
CHF 1’260
City center rent
Based on St. Gallen rental index
Health Insurance
CHF 390
Mandatory coverage
St. Gallen cantonal premium baseline
Living Costs
CHF 1’092
Food, transport, lifestyle
Weighted by local indices
Monthly Savings
CHF 4’158 – CHF 5’158
After all expenses
Net of taxes and costs
Taxes and Housing together account for approximately 73% of total costs in St. Gallen. Moving to a lower-tax canton like Zug could increase monthly savings by CHF 229.
For a single professional in St. Gallen, taxes represents the largest monthly expense at CHF 2’600, followed by housing at CHF 1’260. Canton St. Gallen's moderate tax rates and affordable housing market create this cost structure.
Category Monthly Amount Context
Gross Monthly Salary CHF 10’000 Base salary input for single
Taxes (cantonal & federal) −CHF 2’100to−CHF 3’100 Canton St. Gallen: 21%–31% rate
Rent (city center) −CHF 1’260 St. Gallen market rate (1-bedroom)
Health Insurance −CHF 390 St. Gallen base premium
Food & Groceries −CHF 360 Local price index × 1 occupants
Transport −CHF 72 St. Gallen public transport pass
Utilities −CHF 150 Adjusted for 1 occupants
Lifestyle −CHF 510 Medium tier × St. Gallen multiplier
Estimated Monthly Savings CHF 4’158toCHF 5’158 Net after all deductions

Small changes in rent or tax canton can shift monthly savings by several hundred CHF.

⚠️ Note: These estimates are derived from cantonal tax logic, local housing indices, and health insurance baseline models. Your actual costs depend on specific deductions, insurance choices, and lifestyle. Use our calculator for a personalized assessment with your exact inputs.

Why Professionals Choose St. Gallen

Example Scenario: A professional earning CHF 10’000/month in St. Gallen retains approximately CHF 4’158–5’158 after all expenses. The same salary in Zürich would retain CHF 3’194–4’194 — St. Gallen offers CHF 964/month more (CHF 11’568/year).

Why St. Gallen Is More or Less Expensive Than Other Swiss Cities

Understanding what makes St. Gallen unique helps you evaluate if it's the right fit for your relocation.

Compared to Zürich, St. Gallen offers approximately CHF 964 higher monthly savings at the same gross salary. Compared to Winterthur, housing is lower but overall savings remain stronger.

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Tax Rates

For professionals weighing St. Gallen against Swiss Average, Swiss Average offers lower taxes by approximately CHF 75/month. However, St. Gallen may compensate through other factors like housing or lifestyle costs.

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Housing Market

St. Gallen vs Swiss Average housing: St. Gallen enables CHF 18/month in housing savings compared to Swiss Average. This positions singles to save more while maintaining urban convenience.

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Health Insurance

Canton St. Gallen vs Swiss Average: higher premiums than Swiss Average (CHF 390 vs CHF 383 base). Selecting the right plan tier within the canton structure directly impacts monthly budget.

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Living Costs

St. Gallen vs Swiss average: lower food costs than Swiss Average (100% vs 101% of baseline). While individual purchases differ modestly, cumulative grocery and dining expenses add CHF 50–150/month variance between Swiss cities.

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Transport

St. Gallen vs Swiss Average: slightly higher transport costs than Swiss Average (CHF 72 vs CHF 67). With excellent Swiss public transit, most professionals avoid car ownership—a decision that saves CHF 500–800/month versus driving.

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Lifestyle & Entertainment

St. Gallen vs Swiss Average: similar entertainment costs to Swiss Average (1.02× multiplier). Professionals choosing Swiss Average for savings can reallocate CHF 79/month toward lifestyle upgrades or accelerated wealth building.

Frequently Asked Questions

St. Gallen is one of Switzerland's more affordable major cities. A single earning CHF 10,000 can expect CHF 4,900-5,600 in monthly savings.
Single professionals spend CHF 4,000-4,600 monthly: taxes (CHF 2,100-3,100), rent (CHF 1,260), health insurance (CHF 390), and living costs (CHF 850).
A gross salary of CHF 7,000-9,000 monthly provides comfortable savings of CHF 3,500-5,500.
Canton St. Gallen taxes are moderate at 21-35% depending on income—lower than Geneva or Basel.
Yes, significantly. Rent is CHF 700-900 lower and overall costs are 20-25% less, potentially saving CHF 900-1,200 monthly.

Related Assessments

All Assessments St. Gallen Cost of Living for Couples (Full Breakdown) St. Gallen Cost of Living for Families (Full Breakdown) Best Swiss Cities for Savings (2026) Zürich Cost of Living for Singles (Full Breakdown) Cheapest Cities in Switzerland (2026)

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