Business · Economy · 22 hrs ago
Swiss couple’s monthly budget sparks debate over money left after bills
Sabrina, a home-care nurse, and Mathieu, a landscape gardener, live with their two children in French-speaking Switzerland.
They earn 11,200 Swiss francs a month after tax and say their fixed costs exceed 7,000 francs.
These costs include taxes, their mortgage, health insurance, food, childcare, transport and household bills.
Mathieu says the bills keep rising, leaving less money for family activities, though they can still pay them.
Sabrina argues that middle-income families are squeezed because they do not qualify for the support available to people with low incomes.
Online commenters disputed their view, saying that having around 4,000 francs left each month sounds comfortable compared with what many others have.
The discussion highlights how people judge financial security differently depending on their income and expenses.
A couple in French-speaking Switzerland says its monthly income of 11,200 francs leaves less money for family activities after fixed costs.
Their listed monthly costs total more than 7,100 francs, including taxes, housing, health insurance, food and childcare.
Sabrina says the middle class is being squeezed, while Mathieu says their bills are still payable but leave less for activities.
Reddit commenters criticized the couple’s complaint, arguing that about 4,000 francs left each month is a comfortable position compared with many people’s finances.
The debate prompted 20 Minuten to ask readers how much money they need left at the end of the month to live without worry.
- Who
- Sabrina, a home-care nurse, and Mathieu, a municipal landscape gardener, who have two children.
- What
- The couple’s monthly budget and their complaint that rising costs leave them with less money for family activities sparked criticism online.
- When
- The article was published on 11 October 2026.
- Where
- French-speaking Switzerland; the couple’s budget was discussed in an interview with RTS.
- Why
- The couple says its costs are rising and the middle class is being squeezed; Reddit commenters objected that the family still has about 4,000 francs left each month.
The couple
Reddit commenters
Monthly finances
The couple
The couple says rising costs leave them with less money for family activities.
Reddit commenters
Commenters argued that having about 4,000 francs left each month is a comfortable situation compared with many people’s finances.
The middle class
The couple
Sabrina says the middle class pays for people above and below it.
Reddit commenters
Some commenters said the couple was out of touch with the financial realities of others.
The middle class pays for everyone. We are milch cows. If you are rich, you can have everything. If you are poor, you are lucky to get help. If you are in the middle, you pay for those above and below. That is not normal.
We can still pay our bills. But at the end there is less and less left, less and less money that we can spend on family activities.
I assume they can easily put half of that aside. To me, that sounds like a pretty comfortable situation, or am I out of touch with reality?
The Swiss middle class once lived like kings. But these people are simply disconnected from reality.
Sabrina and Mathieu disclosed their household budget in an interview with RTS.
Reddit users criticized the couple’s complaint, with some describing its remaining monthly income as comfortable.
20 Minuten published the story and asked readers how much money they need left at month’s end to live without worry.
- Combined net monthly income
- 11,200 francs
- Monthly fixed costs
- More than 7,100 francs
- Taxes
- 1,600 francs per month
- Mortgage and home insurance
- 1,500 francs per month
- Health insurance premiums
- 1,331 francs per month
- Food and household costs
- 1,500 francs per month
Sources
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