Cost of Living Comparison Between Affoltern am Albis and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Affoltern am Albis and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,590 per month in Affoltern am Albis vs $4,335 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,551 per month in Affoltern am Albis vs $6,513 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,511 per month in Affoltern am Albis vs $8,691 in Zurich, rent included.

Affoltern am Albis is about 17% cheaper than Zurich, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Affoltern am Albis and Zurich sit above the global median – Affoltern am Albis by 170%, Zurich by 226%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.41

$30.52 CHF 24.82

2.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$168 CHF 136

$149 CHF 122

12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.21 CHF 15.62

$21.06 CHF 17.13

-8.78%

Cappuccino

$7.00 CHF 5.69

$6.97 CHF 5.67

0.43%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CHF 4.65

$6.02 CHF 4.90

-4.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CHF 4.14

$5.37 CHF 4.37

-5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.84 CHF 8.00

$9.83 CHF 8.00

0.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 CHF 6.19

$8.74 CHF 7.11

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.25 CHF 1.83

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.11

$3.41 CHF 2.78

12.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 CHF 4.17

$4.11 CHF 3.34

24.82%

Eggs

$8.14 CHF 6.62

$7.24 CHF 5.89

12.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.99 CHF 23.58

$29.74 CHF 24.19

-2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.13 CHF 29.38

$33.26 CHF 27.06

8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.75 CHF 35.59

$50.6 CHF 41.12

-13.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CHF 3.25

$4.07 CHF 3.31

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$2.81 CHF 2.29

-4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.93

$3.00 CHF 2.44

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.81 CHF 5.54

$5.00 CHF 4.07

36.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 CHF 2.64

$2.82 CHF 2.30

14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$2.38 CHF 1.93

6.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.09

$2.50 CHF 2.04

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.26

$1.70 CHF 1.38

-8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.53 CHF 8.57

$11.28 CHF 9.17

-6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 CHF 10.86

$13.55 CHF 11.02

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 CHF 3.04

$2.63 CHF 2.14

42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CHF 2.51

$3.35 CHF 2.72

-7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 CHF 3.27

$4.80 CHF 3.91

-16.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 CHF 80.2

$106 CHF 86.2

-7.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 CHF 7.21

$7.47 CHF 6.08

18.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.67 CHF 4.61

$4.15 CHF 3.38

36.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 69.7

$88.9 CHF 72.3

-3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-6.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.0K CHF 33.3K

$40.6K CHF 33.0K

1.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$45.0K CHF 36.6K

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

12.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$308 CHF 251

$259 CHF 211

18.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$53.4 CHF 43.39

$35.73 CHF 29.06

49.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 CHF 48.83

$59.6 CHF 48.50

0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 CHF 72.1

$88.5 CHF 72.0

0.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.59 CHF 38.71

$50.0 CHF 40.70

-4.90%

Cinema Ticket

$23.69 CHF 19.27

$24.58 CHF 19.99

-3.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,133 CHF 2,548

$3,361 CHF 2,734

-6.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.3K

$39.3K CHF 31.9K

-11.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.2

$138 CHF 112

-20.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CHF 44.60

$62.3 CHF 50.7

-11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 126

$151 CHF 123

2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 150

$202 CHF 164

-8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 CHF 1,365

$2,707 CHF 2,202

-38.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 CHF 1,187

$2,208 CHF 1,796

-33.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,826 CHF 2,299

$5,004 CHF 4,070

-43.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 CHF 1,999

$3,818 CHF 3,105

-35.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$27.0K CHF 22.0K

-53.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.7K CHF 9,516

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

-27.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,244 CHF 6,706

$8,088 CHF 6,579

1.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.09

19.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Affoltern am Albis: July 28, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,678 in Affoltern am Albis versus $2,707 in Zurich. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Affoltern am Albis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $168 in Affoltern am Albis versus $149 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $692 vs $674 – making Zurich the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Affoltern am Albis vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 21% more than Affoltern am Albis, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,385 per month in Affoltern am Albis and $6,503 in Zurich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Affoltern am Albis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Affoltern am Albis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,133 per month in Affoltern am Albis and $3,361 in Zurich. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,590 in Affoltern am Albis and $4,335 in Zurich. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Affoltern am Albis costs $3,590 versus $4,335 in Zurich. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Affoltern am Albis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.