Cost of living in Switzerland
Summary of cost of living in Switzerland
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: CHF 7,253
- Single person estimated monthly costs: CHF 4,167
- Switzerland is the most expensive country in Western Europe (1 out of 14)
- Switzerland is the 2nd most expensive country in the World (2 out of 61)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | CHF 27 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | CHF 15 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | CHF 11 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | CHF 1.74 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | CHF 8 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | CHF 4.14 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | CHF 10 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | CHF 3.58 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | CHF 3.18 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | CHF 2.21 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | CHF 18 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | CHF 3.39 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | CHF 2.87 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | CHF 3,652 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | CHF 2,479 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | CHF 227 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | CHF 2,199 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | CHF 1,556 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | CHF 149 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | CHF 44 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | CHF 349 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | CHF 115 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | CHF 20 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | CHF 31 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | CHF 106 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | CHF 48 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | CHF 128 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | CHF 151 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | CHF 33,549 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | CHF 1.84 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | CHF 76 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | CHF 15 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | CHF 18 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | CHF 131 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | CHF 5.00 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | CHF 5.39 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | CHF 4.94 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | CHF 5.14 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | CHF 3.63 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | CHF 59 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | CHF 88 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | CHF 43 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | CHF 169 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | CHF 140 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | CHF 18 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | CHF 6 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | CHF 8 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | CHF 581 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | CHF 1.00 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | CHF 101 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | CHF 9 | ||
Moving to Switzerland with your children?
International Schools in Switzerland
Map of Cost of Living in Switzerland
This map shows only the top cities in Switzerland. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Switzerland
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Geneva | 227 |
| 2nd | Zurich | 220 |
| 3rd | Lausanne | 206 |
| 4th | Basel | 204 |
| 5th | Bern | 195 |
| 6th | Lugano | 189 |
| 7th | St. Gallen | 166 |
| 8th | Neuchatel | 166 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Switzerland? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Switzerl. of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Zurich is 92% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Geneva is 4% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Zurich is 158% more expensive than in Belgrade
- Cost of living in Geneva is 30% more expensive than in Paris
- Cost of living in Basel is 72% more expensive than in Barcelona, Spain
- Cost of living in Zurich is 8% more expensive than in Basel
- Cost of living in Zurich is 8% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Zurich is 89% more expensive than in Barcelona, Spain
- Cost of living in Bern is 318% more expensive than in Bishkek
- Cost of living in Zurich is 17% more expensive than in Chicago, Illinois
- Cost of living in Zurich is 34% more expensive than in Oslo
- Cost of living in Bern is 4% cheaper than in Basel
- Cost of living in Basel is 81% more expensive than in Huntsville, Alabama
- Cost of living in Zurich is 112% more expensive than in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Zurich is 44% more expensive than in Stockholm
- Cost of living in Zurich is 53% more expensive than in Eindhoven
- Cost of living in Geneva is 75% more expensive than in Brussels
- Cost of living in Lugano is 72% more expensive than in Padua
- Cost of living in Zurich is 25% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Zurich is 6% more expensive than in Washington D.C.