Cost of Food in Switzerland | What to Expect to Pay for Groceries in Switzerland
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It’s no secret that traveling to Switzerland isn’t easy on the wallet. With expensive transportation, accommodation, and the like, a trip to Switzerland takes some serious savings and planning. While we can’t say there are many ways around the price of transportation and accommodation (other than traveling via campervan), there is a way to ease the amount of money spent on food in Switzerland.
Going out to eat in most places in Switzerland can easily cost around 50 USD per person per meal, so grocery shopping in Switzerland is an absolute must. Cooking meals at your accommodation, or simply buying food that doesn’t need to be cooked can save you literally hundreds of dollars a day when visiting Switzerland.
Where to Buy Food In Switzerland
There are loads of places throughout Switzerland to purchase food. And honestly, we thought we’d be eating lentils and rice our entire trip in Switzerland after seeing that ONE ORANGE costs over 2 USD! But, after a quick Google search, we found that even Switzerland has discount grocery stores!
LIDL | A Discount Grocery Store all Over Europe
Lidl is a grocery store we got hooked on when living in Scotland. It’s got great produce and meat and cheese selections at a fraction of the cost of stores like the CoOp. They even have a fresh bakery in Lidl!
Here you’ll be able to find pasta and sauce for less than a dollar, and certain types of cheese/bread/meat for rather cheap too. We even bought a box of THREE PIZZAS for under 3 USD! Talk about a discount store! Lidl is a lifesaver when traveling on a budget in Switzerland!
{Traveler’s Tip.. If you’re on a super tight budget, buy some Swiss Fondue packs at Lidl and go back to your AirBnB or Housesit and have a fondue night at home. This alone can literally save you hundreds of dollars!}
COOP | A Rather Spendy Store in Switzerland
The CoOp is a somewhat spendier store, but it’s located all over Switzerland. It can be found in small villages and on most main roads. They tend to have a good selection of cheese and meats.
With that said, watch for the prices here. Some things can be bought cheaply, but others will cost you an arm and a leg!
BAKERIES | What’s Offered in Small Swiss Villages
Typically, we recommend supporting the local shops as often as possible. But when traveling and eating on a budget in Switzerland, this isn’t a possibility. If you miss a Lidl or large grocery store in bigger cities / on main roads, you’ll be left with only local bakeries and butchers.
Trust us here, these prices are so high — try your best to avoid them if you’re on a budget! And honestly, we found the baked goods at Lidl were just as appetizing as those in the “proper bakeries”.
ALDI | A Discount Grocer in Switzerland
We are huge fans of Aldi in the United Kingdom, however, aren’t too impressed with their selections throughout countries in Europe. Though, worth popping into and Aldi to see if you can find something you fancy. Again, the prices here are extremely discounted, but with that means you’ll have less of a selection of grocery options.
Actual Cost of Food in Switzerland Grocery Stores
LIDL | Switzerland Grocery Costs
| Ice | 2.49 |
| Cheddar cheese | 3.49 |
| Bio applesauce | 1.15 |
| 500g ground beef | 6.95 (but 25% off) |
| Red Bull | 1.55 |
| Cheese for burgers | 2.49 |
| Gouda | 1.69 |
| White loaf bread | .99 |
| Berliner | .85 |
| Laugenzopfli (pretzel bread) | .99 |
| Natural yogurt | .99 |
| Avocado | 1.39 |
| Banana | 1.49/kg |
| Reiswaffeln (treat) | 1.49 |
| Fresh brown bread | 1.89 |
| Chocolate bars | 1.49 |
| Noodles 500g | .49 |
| 500g honey | 2.75 |
| Mixed bell peppers | 1.79/3 |
| Carrots 1kg | 1.25 |
| Gurken | 1.39 |
| Feigen lose | .59 each |
| Zucchini | 1.95kg |
| French baguette | 1.25 |
| Fondue Cheese | 7.75 |
| 3x salami pizza frozen | 3.85 |
| Olive oil 1L | 4.95 |
| Balsamic vinegar | 1.95 |
| Potatoes 2kg | 2.60 |
| Ribeye steak | 49.90/kg |
| Large tub yogurt | 1.89 |
ALDI | Switzerland Grocery Costs
| Reiswaffeln (treat) | 1.49 |
| TK Eiswurfel | 1.99 |
COOP | Cost of Food in Switzerland CoOps
| Bubbly water | 0.85 |
| Brown bread 500g (bakery) | 1.15 |
| Brown bread bio 450g | 2.85 |
| Berliner | 1.10 |
| FontalSuisse 370 (fancy cheese) | 3.50 |
| Camembert 300g (spreadable fancy cheese) | 1.90 |
| Deli beef thin cut snack pack | 3.80 |
| Deli beef thin cut snack pack | 2.95 |
Recommended Travel Items For Visiting Switzerland
Reusable Grocery Bag | You won’t find plastic grocery bags in Switzerland, and you’ll have to pay for bags if you want them in the produce area and the like of most stores. So be prepared with this travel-friendly reusable grocery bag! It’s great to pack up for a trip to the lake too!
Travel Backpack | Hands down our number one recommended travel gear, this backpack! It’s waterproof, has a secret RFID compartment, and has a laptop sleeve. To top it all off, it’s carry on size, has resizable compartments, and even extra security features allowing you to “lock” your bag while walking around! We both own one of these packs, and can’t recommend them enough!
READ MORE | The Best Travel Backpacks for Carry-On Travel
Water Bottle | This water bottle keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for 6 hours. It’s great for any time of the year, and to carry around a coffee to-go not worrying if it will get cold by the time you want to drink it!
Light Blanket for Picnics | Oh how handy this little blanket would be for picnics and relaxing on any or the many lakes in Switzerland! Lightweight and packs down really small.. this blanket is sure to take your picnic to next level, creating a clean space to eat at on the grass or sand!
More Travel Advice + Tips on Switzerland
LEARN MORE | Get Paid to Spend Money
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READ MORE | 8 Essential Items for Your Travel Pack
Traveling abroad? You don’t want to miss out on these 8 items in your travel gear… especially in a place as expensive as Switzerland!
READ MORE | Our First Experience in the Swiss Alps
Stunning landscapes, steep roads, and loads of cyclists! These are the Swiss Alps!
LEARN MORE | 15 Things to Know About Driving In Switzerland
After almost getting in an accident with a tram in Zurich, we quickly realized we needed to research all the driving rules in Switzerland. Some of them are honestly so strange! Anywho.. we’re sharing all the driving tips for Switzerland here.
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*Prices and information from this post are from our travels to Switzerland in 2018. Please let us know if prices on products in this post have changed!
