Cost of Living in Zurich

Summary of cost of living in Zurich, Switzerland:

Restaurants
Edit Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 25.00 Fr. 18.00-49.00
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 120.00 Fr. 100.00-225.00
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 16.00 Fr. 15.00-20.00
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 8.00 Fr. 5.00-10.00
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 7.50 Fr. 6.00-10.50
Cappuccino (regular) 5.39 Fr. 4.00-7.20
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 4.90 Fr. 4.00-6.00
Water (12 oz small bottle) 4.55 Fr. 3.00-6.00
Markets
Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 6.47 Fr. 4.54-7.57
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 2.87 Fr. 1.36-3.72
Rice (white), (1 lb) 1.54 Fr. 0.91-2.27
Eggs (regular) (12) 6.08 Fr. 3.22-9.00
Local Cheese (1 lb) 12.16 Fr. 6.80-29.48
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 11.55 Fr. 5.44-17.01
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 24.46 Fr. 11.34-40.82
Apples (1 lb) 1.64 Fr. 0.91-2.27
Banana (1 lb) 1.17 Fr. 0.68-2.27
Oranges (1 lb) 1.40 Fr. 0.68-2.27
Tomato (1 lb) 2.03 Fr. 0.98-3.22
Potato (1 lb) 1.08 Fr. 0.36-1.81
Onion (1 lb) 1.03 Fr. 0.59-1.59
Lettuce (1 head) 2.27 Fr. 1.20-3.60
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 1.32 Fr. 0.50-2.20
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 13.00 Fr. 8.00-24.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.09 Fr. 1.20-3.03
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 2.97 Fr. 1.43-5.00
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 9.00 Fr. 8.20-9.94
Transportation
Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 4.40 Fr. 3.10-6.25
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 100.00 Fr. 85.00-200.00
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 7.00 Fr. 6.00-10.00
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 8.05 Fr. 4.83-8.05
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 80.00 Fr. 60.00-100.00
Gasoline (1 gallon) 7.93 Fr. 7.00-9.08
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 32,500.00 Fr. 31,000.00-37,100.00
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 31,338.98 Fr. 28,000.00-35,400.00
Utilities (Monthly)
Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 275.62 Fr. 170.00-417.00
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) 0.51 Fr. 0.15-0.75
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 55.29 Fr. 39.00-95.00
Sports And Leisure
Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 94.49 Fr. 50.00-180.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 41.50 Fr. 25.00-50.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 20.00 Fr. 18.00-25.00
Childcare
Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 2,775.92 Fr. 2,400.00-3,125.00
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 32,600.00 Fr. 30,000.00-38,500.00
Clothing And Shoes
Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 113.86 Fr. 60.00-150.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 58.73 Fr. 30.00-119.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 115.12 Fr. 70.00-198.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 188.21 Fr. 100.00-280.00
Rent Per Month
Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 2,364.22 Fr. 1,500.00-3,500.00
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,681.78 Fr. 1,200.00-2,200.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 4,216.92 Fr. 3,000.00-6,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,937.79 Fr. 2,200.00-4,000.00
Buy Apartment Price
Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 2,003.37 Fr. 1,486.44-2,508.36
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 1,232.56 Fr. 929.02-1,579.34
Salaries And Financing
Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 6,147.19 Fr.
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 2.30 1.20-3.20

Prices in Zurich

This city had 2719 entries in the past 12 months by 323 different contributors.
Last update: May 2023
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
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20 Comments so far
Anonymous on Nov 11, 2022:
As usual swiss visiting ie working in the u s complaining about their accounts being seized in Switzerland for not following the rules in the u s concerning taxation.FBAR IRS leaves no stone unturned that's a given.I seriously doubt the IRS is finished with you yet since you tried to defraud the u s. Enjoy your freedom for the moment extradition is the next step it happens often rest assured.
Anonymous on Nov 01, 2022:
No foreigners are ever appreciated or needed in the USA.It was your choice not the USA who asked you to move there in the first place.You should've stayed in your motherland as you call it since you didn't report over $10,000 USD in your bank accounts in Switzerland.You're lucky the U S government didn't throw you in prison for 5 years and fine you $250,000 usd.
You paying taxes working in the USA is something everyone does.Consider it a payment just to live in the richest place in the world and the most powerful too.
brandmarkt on Oct 28, 2022:
Brandmarkt.store ist ein Multimarkengeschäft in St. Gallen mit einer erstaunlichen Kollektion an Damenmode, die zu jedem Stil und Budget passt.
Anonymous on Aug 31, 2022:
Instead of appreciating foreigner who worked and contributed in US and holds merely either US permanent resident visa(green card) or US work visa before but they are not a US citizen and still hold the citizenship from their motherland.

Now the zombielike US thief government is brazenly punishing and scamming all of the aforementioned foreigner in their own motherland outrageously for not declaring/reporting their own bank accounts from their motherland with the least punishment of whopping 10,000 US dollar for each of their motherland bank account to the extent of confiscating half of their life savings outrageously and inhumanely.

Even worse, instead of standing with their people, their respective inhumane government from their own motherland supports the zombielike US thief government to not only freeze their own bank accounts but also rob ten of thousand of US dollar from their accounts outrageously in their own motherland.

The greatest tragedy for the humankind is happening now under the manipulation of the US thief government, thanks for all of the hypocrite countries who made it happen now by supporting the US thief government against their own blood brother and blood sister and bringing the worse future without justice for their respective future descendants.

The wealth of the people is as much as the same as the wealth of the country but allowing the zombielike US thief government to rob the wealth of your people is the greatest treason against the holy blood of your own that you share with your people.

The greatest injustice inflicted to the aforementioned foreigner by the zombielike US thief government is unforgivable until the day the US thief government is toppled.

It's time for all countries to be united to protect the interest of the citizen of their own respective country by destroying the zombielike US thief government by banning the most untrustworthy US dollar which is good for nothing but dragging the rest of the world for getting worse and worse with the most untrustworthy US dollar printer which overprints the most untrustworthy US dollar paper without any accountability to the extent of creating the most unsustainable debt of over 30 trillions US dollar for the most immoral US thief government until so far.
Anonymous on Dec 14, 2020:
Save your money and move onward through the fog,Zurich is a mess avoid it.
Geller on Sep 30, 2020:
how much is the rent for an apartment in the centre? (minimum of 90 square meters). Is 16K CHF enough to live there with high quality life? how much I can save from this?
f77741@aol.com on Jul 23, 2020:
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Monica on Jun 30, 2020:
Hello, I’m transferring from our Japan office Switzerland (Zurich office) in March 2021. I’m UE citizen.
The salary will be 83-86K gross + bonuses.

I’m rather cheap person and even here in Japan I was saving 50% of my salary. In Switzerland it will be difficult.

I was planning to spend:
1,7K flat
1,6K living costs (food, spending, weekly cycling / hiking trips)
1,1K investment
1,1K savings

What are your thoughts of that? Is is possible to life well like that? Or should I prepare that I will not be able to save as much?

Cheers,
anonimousss on Jun 05, 2020:
@#Anonymous, 3400 in Bratislava means you can save half of that, in Zurich with 10.000 you can save half of that, it means much better life, and when you go retired, you will have much higher pension, and home of 1 million, while in Bratislava you will have 10 times less. I could not compare Bratislava to Zurich, it is pointless in any sense. By the way I live not too far from you.
Anonymous on May 31, 2020:
UBS or Credit Suisse?

I'm considering applying for a job in either of these 2, but I'm honestly finding it difficult to "translate" my current income in Central Europe to the salaries and costs of living in Switzerland. I'm earning around 3400 EUR per month (net) here which is a pretty good salary, around 3x times the local net salary where I live (Bratislava).
Looking on Glassdoor and other sites I see salaries ranging between 110 - 170 000 CHF/year including bonus, for a position I would be looking at, but I'm guessing this is gross? Considering that, do you think I would be better or worse off in Zurich or Geneva vs. Bratislava?
Jay on Mar 01, 2020:
I am a masters in physics looking forward to, get my phd at eth zurich and research and live in Switzerland. How much would I be able to save?
ala on Dec 05, 2019:
hi friends

How to get a job as a simple worker without the need for language in Zurich and Switzerland?
Nothing can be found at job sites .
Marco on Oct 31, 2019:
Could you please clarify why the cost of Health Insurance is not included? In Switzerland the health insurance is mandatory and it is about 250 CHF per person. In other countries (e.g. UK, France, Italy) this is covered by taxes. When you compare salaries and cost of living, other countries may have lower salaries but health insurance is already paid.
Anonymous on Sep 23, 2019:
Look all of this immigrant violence propaganda is bullshit. This is all coming from people who have no idea. Go look at the statistics. Switzerland is objectively the best country in the world and Zurich is one of her best cities. The economy is booming and people are prosperous. Yes the cost of living is very high but so are the wages so you’ll be living the best possible life for the profession and income level you have.

The comment about electricity prices is absolute bs. For a family of 3 living in an apartment the average price of electricity (with everything meaning you also cook with electricity) is 1500 Franken A YEAR.

The average rents are very accurate here so the whole „you need 8k to rent an apartment“ ist absolute horseshit

Also the comment about Morocco is also bullshit. Morocco is a VERY poor country. They’re also in a civil war. Just go look at Casablanca here on Numbeo and see how little you earn there.

You’re alternatives to Switzerland in the same ballpark are Singapore and Norway.
Anonymous on Sep 13, 2019:
Furthermore it gets very cold throughout Switzerland and winters normally last five months minimum. Just to heat your apartment would cost on average 4,000 chf each month and that's just a one bedroom apartment.Add another 4,000 on top of that for electric.
Anonymous on Sep 13, 2019:
You couldn't find a one bedroom apartment in Zurich for any less than 8,000 chf each month.You need to get a tourist visa and look at the prices in Zurich for yourself instead of depending upon prices on Numbeo.The only thing Numbeo is interested in is money they make on others advertising that's all and it's always been like that. I'm a lifelong resident of Zurich so I personally know prices of rental apartments and rental houses since I own some I rent.If you can only save 5,000 to 6,000 chf each month then you shouldn't even think about moving to Zurich,just being honest.
Anonymous on Aug 26, 2019:
Hello,
I am thinking of moving to Zurich. My plan is to save around 5000 to 6000chf each month for having a decent living. Single person looking for a 2 bedroom apartment near the city center. Do you believe that it's enough? Is it better to get a 2 bedroom apartment near the city center or something that is outside? I was thinking of a 30min commute to Waffenplatzstrasse. Any idea on house prices?

Thanks in advance!
Anonymous on Aug 09, 2019:
To SOMEONE# Being a lifelong resident of Zurich I wouldn't recommend trying to find work anywhere in Zurich currently especially since Zurich is way overrun with migrants.The influx of migrants has severely affected our economy throughout and many companies have already left Zurich over the past 6 months and more leaving too.Germany is having the same problems.I'd recommend Morocco since their economy is booming plus new infrastructure projects are advancing rapidly.
Someone on Jul 28, 2019:
Hi.
What is the wage of a Python developer, and is this possible to live "more than normal" with that wage in Zurich or outside from the city (20-50 km)?

Thanks :-)
Nikos on Jul 17, 2019:
Hi guys
I want to ask what is the minimum wage in Zurich and I wanted to ask how easy it is to find a job as a bus driver?
and about wages?