🇨🇭Cost of Living in Zurich

Switzerland · Population: 421,000 · Cost Index: 115/100

Cost of Living in Zurich

Switzerland · Europe

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and a global financial hub, consistently ranked among the world's most expensive cities. The trade-off is exceptional quality of life, stunning alpine scenery, and world-class public services.

421,000

Population

115

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $4,800 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Zurich

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$4,800

per month

Couple

$7,200

per month

Family of 4

$10,080

per month

Student

$3,600

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Zurich, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $3,175.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$2,600.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$1,900.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$4,800.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$3,400.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $20.05

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$28.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$120.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$15.00

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.80

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$2.80

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.20

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$5.50

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$18.00

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.80

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.40

Transportation

Avg: $21.54

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$90.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$4.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$7.00

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$4.20

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.90

Utilities

Avg: $126.67

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$280.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$45.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$55.00

Healthcare

Avg: $106.67

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$120.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$180.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$20.00

Entertainment

Avg: $29.70

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$85.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$20.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$5.80

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$8.00

Clothing

Avg: $98.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$110.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$55.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$130.00

Popular Zurich comparisons

Zurich vs Geneva Zurich vs Bern Zurich vs New York Zurich vs London Zurich vs Tokyo Zurich vs Singapore Zurich vs Dubai Zurich vs Paris

Frequently asked questions about Zurich

Is Zurich expensive to live in?

Zurich has a cost of living index of 115 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the most expensive cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Zurich?

A single person needs an estimated $4,800 per month to live in Zurich, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Zurich?

Zurich's cost of living index is 115 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Zurich?

Zurich scores 90 out of 100 for quality of life and 82 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in Switzerland at 126 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.