Geneva is a cosmopolitan French-speaking city at the southwestern tip of Lake Geneva, framed by the Alps and the Jura. Known for the Jet d'Eau, a compact medieval Old Town, Calvin's Reformation, the Red Cross and the United Nations, it is also a world capital of watchmaking, banking and science with CERN on its doorstep. Despite its high prices, Geneva rewards visitors with lake swimming, museums, fondue and easy day trips to France and the Alps.
Local currency: Swiss franc (CHF).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Geneva.
- Mid-range
- CHF 330/day (~$413)
- Luxury
- CHF 800+/day (~$1,000+)
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- CHF 40-60 (~$50-75) per dorm bed
- Budget
- CHF 110-170 (~$138-213) per private room
- Midrange
- CHF 180-320 (~$225-400) per night
- Luxury
- CHF 450-1,500+ (~$563-1,875+) per night
Food
- Street
- CHF 8-15 (~$10-19) for a kebab, sandwich or bakery lunch
- Local
- CHF 22-35 (~$28-44) for a plat du jour or Migros/Coop restaurant meal
- Midrange
- CHF 45-75 (~$56-94) for a sit-down dinner with a drink
- Fine
- CHF 120-300 (~$150-375) for a tasting menu
Transport
- Bus
- CHF 3.00 (~$3.75) single ticket valid 60 minutes in Zone 10; CHF 10 (~$12.50) day pass
- Taxi
- CHF 25-50 (~$31-63) for a typical city ride; base fare is high
- Airport
- CHF 3.00 (~$3.75) by train or bus, and free with the ticket from the machine at baggage reclaim
- Daytrip
- CHF 15-60 (~$19-75) by train to Lausanne, Nyon or Montreux
Activities
- Museum
- CHF 10-20 (~$13-25); many municipal museums are free
- Sites
- CHF 5-15 (~$6-19) for cathedral towers, gardens and lake baths
- Tour
- CHF 25-70 (~$31-88) for a guided walking or lake tour
- Excursion
- CHF 35-120 (~$44-150) for Salève, Chamonix or Mont-Blanc trips
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Geneva costs end-to-end.
Weekend 2 Nights traveller
CHF 340-450 (~$425-563) per person on a budget, including a hostel dorm, simple meals and a day trip by train
Three Days Budget traveller
CHF 390-520 (~$488-650) per person including three nights in a hostel (CHF 120-180 / ~$150-225)
One Week Budget traveller
CHF 800-1,100 (~$1,000-1,375) per person in hostels with self-catered breakfasts and one paid day trip
One Week Midrange traveller
CHF 2,300-3,200 (~$2,875-4,000) per person in a three- or four-star hotel with sit-down dinners and two excursions
One Week Luxury traveller
CHF 5,500-9,000+ (~$6,875-11,250+) per person in a five-star hotel on the lake with fine dining
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Ask the hotel or hostel for the free Geneva Transport Card at check-in; it covers trams, buses, Mouettes boats and trains within Zone 10 (including the airport) for the whole stay, worth about CHF 10 (~$12.50) per day.
Buy lunch and picnic food at Migros (for example the branch on Rue du Mont-Blanc, near Cornavin) or Coop; a prepared meal costs CHF 8-14 (~$10-18) against CHF 30+ (~$38+) in a restaurant.
Eat the main meal at lunch: many restaurants serve a plat du jour for CHF 20-28 (~$25-35) at midday and charge much more at night.
Drink the tap water, which is excellent; a bottle of mineral water in a restaurant costs CHF 6-9 (~$8-11). Refill at the public fountains.
Skip hotel minibars and room service; a supermarket drink costs a quarter of the price.
Use the Plainpalais flea market (Wednesday and Saturday) and Carouge market (Wednesday and Saturday mornings) for cheap fresh food and cheese.
Visit the free permanent collections of the Musée d'art et d'histoire (Rue Charles-Galland 2) and the Muséum d'histoire naturelle (Route de Malagnou 1).
Book SBB tickets early on sbb.ch; Supersaver fares to Zurich, Bern or Paris can be 30-50% below full price when bought weeks ahead.
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Jet d'Eau and the lake promenade
Walk the Quai Gustave-Ador and the Pâquis jetty to see the 140 metre Jet d'Eau. It runs daily in good weather and costs nothing.
Old Town and Reformation Wall
Wander the cobbled lanes around Place du Bourg-de-Four, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre (free to enter) and the Mur des Réformateurs in Parc des Bastions.
Musée d'art et d'histoire permanent collection
Switzerland's largest art and history museum offers free entry to its permanent displays; only special exhibitions are ticketed.
Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques
Large botanical garden with glasshouses, a deer park and lake views, a short walk from the Palais des Nations.
Swimming at Baby-Plage and Pâquis
Free lakeside swimming from the Baby-Plage public beach and designated bathing spots in summer; the Bains des Pâquis jetty is CHF 2 (~$2.50).
Carouge walk and Wednesday/Saturday market
Carouge's Sardinian-style streets, courtyards and artisan shops are an easy tram ride away (tram 12 or 18) and free to wander.
CERN Science Gateway exhibitions
The free exhibitions at the Science Gateway introduce particle physics; reach it by tram 18 from the centre.
First Sunday of the month museums
Several municipal museums run free or discounted entry on the first Sunday of each month; check mah-geneve.ch and mamco.ch for the current programme.