Expenses in Switzerland

When we were there last year, we found, generally speaking, that food and beverages in all forms was roughly twice as much as we pay in Oz.

Kris, The 14-day "suggested Itinerary" here is a bit ambitious (IMHO). I'd suggest visiting fewer locations and take the trip a bit slower. Each time you change locations, there will be a cost in both time and money. If you're on a limited budget, that's something to consider (especially in Switzerland). The costs for food will depend to some extent on your "dining habits". Hotels usually provide breakfast with the cost of the room, so you won't have to worry about that. For lunches, you can save money by picking up a sandwich or whatever at the local deli or Co-Op store. Dinners will likely be the biggest challenge, as they can be expensive. For example, when I was there last September, I sat down for a fine hot meal at the hotel in Lauterbrunnen. The bill came to ~CHF$55 for one person (main course of Oberland Rösti, wine, dessert, coffee). I don't usually order meals like that, but that gives you an idea of what the costs can be. Given your home location, have you considered visiting the RS offices for a personal trip consultation? Although there's a small charge, it could save you a lot of money. Rick's expert staff will be able to help you work out all the "fine details". Happy travels!

Hi Kris, We were in Lugano for 4 days last Nov. The restaurant food prices are very high, but use Rick Steves book to look for bargain places to eat. We ate in the cafe of the Manor dept. store and the food was freshly made, tasted great, and was reasonably priced. They made fresh pizza to order, or pasta dishes. We loved the food there. Lugano was a beautiful town to visit!

You can also shop for food in Coop Grocery Store as well as Migros Grocery Stores. They'll also have pre-made sandwiches, wine by the bottle, fruits, all kinds of chocolates...you won't starve and you'll pay normal grocery store prices. Switzerland is astronomically expensive, but it's beautiful. With 2 weeks you'll have plenty of time to see a lot...you might even be tempted to jump across the border to other places.

Hello I am planning a two week trip to Switzerland and northern Italy in early September also. I noticed that the hotels are very expensive!!! A bed in a hostel ranges from $38 to $50 a night, with beds next to each other so it's like sleeping right next to someone. I prefer privacy and am looking to cut cost by booking a room with shared bathroom outside instead of an en-suite if available. I am never in the room anyway. I am shocked after I added up how much I anticipate to spend on just lodging and transportation. Bon voyage!

I can't help but compare food prices in the rest of Europe to Germany, which at least for food, is probably the cheapest country in western Europe. For grocery store prices, I generally found Switzerland from about 1.25 to 1.5 more expensive than Germany. Not a bargain, but not unreasonable either. For booze, Swiss wine from a grocery store is a particularly good value. Beer isn't that expensive either, but for the most part, not particularly inspiring. Now, eat at a restaurant, and that changes the whole picture. Basel and Zurich are two of the most expensive dining locations imaginable. At a nice but mid-grade restaurant in Basel, I think the bill for me and my wife came to almost 150 CF for a salad, main course and two glasses of wine. In the rest of the country, the food gets more expensive the higher you ascend into the mountains. You can full expect to pay anywhere from 2-3 times more than you would in say, Germany, France or Austria.