SBLA Commercial location analysis · Switzerland

Opening a bar or café in the canton of Geneva

Planning to open a bar or café in the canton of Geneva? Here are the official figures for the cantonal market — then the analysis of your specific address. At canton level everything averages out; a lease is signed on a street.

Analyse an address →See the figures

The canton of Geneva in figures

Population531’102inhabitants across 45 municipalities
Average taxable income58’508 CHFper taxpayer
Median age43.1years · 62.3 % aged 20–64
Reference commercial rent21.10 CHFper m² per month
Jobs — food service16’376positions in the canton
Bars and cafés in Switzerland2’268businesses
National density3’991inhabitants per business
Average municipal tax multiplier41.2 %(2025)
Projected population 2035570’069inhabitants (+7.1 %)

How many bars and cafés are there in the canton of Geneva?

Switzerland has 2’268 businesses in this activity (NOGA 5630, STATENT 2023) for 9’051’029 inhabitants — one business per 3’991 inhabitants. Applied to the population of the canton of Geneva (531’102 inhabitants), that national ratio would correspond to roughly 133 businesses.

This is a density benchmark, not a local count: competition is never evenly spread. SBLA counts the businesses actually present, hectare by hectare, around a given address — using STATENT and OpenStreetMap.

The local market

Average taxable income in the canton of Geneva stands at 58’508 CHF (below the Swiss average of 62’152 CHF). Median age is 43.1, and 62.3 % of the population is aged 20–64 — the bracket that drives most consumer spending.

A Swiss household spends an average of 427.20 CHF per month on “Restaurants” (Household Budget Survey, FSO 2023). Across the canton’s 218’030 households, that is a theoretical market of roughly 93.1 million CHF per month.

The canton also records 3’466’754 hotel overnight stays a year (HESTA, 2024): passing trade on top of the resident population.

Setup costs

At 21.10 CHF/m²/month (FSO 2024), a 90 m² retail space costs around 1’899 CHF per month excluding charges. The canton’s average municipal tax multiplier is 41.2 % (2025) — it varies widely between municipalities, and that gap feeds straight through to the bottom line. It is not comparable across cantons: each canton applies its multiplier to its own tax base.

Snapshot of 17 July 2026: 1’118 commercial spaces were advertised for rent in the canton of Geneva.

Footfall and access

The canton’s busiest railway stations are Genève (83’100), Genève-Aéroport (16’000), Genève-Eaux-Vives (9’900) (passengers per day, SBB 2025). Station footfall is a good proxy for a town-centre shop; SBLA additionally measures public-transport quality (ARE classes) and road traffic (ASTRA) at the analysed address.

The canton recorded 3’443 new dwellings in 2023 — a growth signal for the resident customer base.

0–100 Viability score
  • Market
  • Population
  • Access
  • Momentum

What you get

Every address analysed receives a 0–100 score, broken down into four pillars weighted by type of business.

  • Catchment area — population and purchasing power genuinely reachable around the address, hectare by hectare (STATPOP FSO).
  • Competition — businesses in the same activity nearby (STATENT and OpenStreetMap, cross-checked with strike-offs from the ZEFIX commercial register).
  • Footfall & access — public transport, stations and road traffic nearby.
  • Setup costs — reference rent, charges and municipal taxes.
  • Verdict in figures — a 0–100 viability score and a detailed report, exportable as PDF.
Analyse an address →

How it works

  1. You enter an address

    The exact address of the space and the intended activity — not just a municipality.

  2. SBLA combines the data

    Population hectare by hectare, competition, transport, rents, taxation: some thirty official, dated indicators.

  3. You get a verdict

    A 0–100 viability score, a competition map and a report you can export as PDF.

Where to open in the canton of Geneva?

The most populous municipalities offer the largest catchment — and the densest competition. Start the analysis directly on one of them:

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to rent premises for a bar or café in the canton of Geneva?

The reference commercial rent in the canton of Geneva is 21.10 CHF/m²/month (FSO 2024). For a 90 m² space that is roughly 1’899 CHF per month excluding charges. Actual rent varies widely with location: a high street and an out-of-town site can differ threefold.

How many bars and cafés are there in Switzerland?

2’268 businesses in 2023 (STATENT, FSO), one per 3’991 inhabitants. Applied to the population of the canton of Geneva, that ratio would correspond to about 133 businesses.

Is the canton of Geneva a growing market?

The FSO projects 570’069 inhabitants in 2035 against 532’367 in 2026, i.e. +7.1 %. The canton also recorded 3’443 new dwellings in 2023.

Which are the most populous municipalities in the canton of Geneva?

Genève (209’061 inhabitants), Vernier (37’837 inhabitants), Lancy (37’259 inhabitants). SBLA analyses any address in the canton, including smaller municipalities where competition is often lighter.

Is the analysis free?

Yes. Enter an address and the intended activity: SBLA returns a 0–100 viability score, some thirty sourced indicators and a competition map, exportable as PDF.

Ready to test an address?

The analysis is free and takes under a minute.

Analyse an address →

Other activities in the canton of Geneva

Bars and cafés in the other cantons

The other side

Sources and vintages

Population and age: STATPOP 2024 (FSO). Taxable income: FTA 2022. Businesses: STATENT 2023 (FSO). Jobs by branch: STATENT (FSO). Rents: FSO 2024. Municipal taxation: FTA 2025. Population projections: FSO, reference scenario. Station footfall: SBB 2025. Household budget: FSO 2023. Every figure on this page is recomputed at each publication.