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 $3,523 per month in Affoltern am Albis vs $4,715 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,494 per month in Affoltern am Albis vs $7,006 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,466 per month in Affoltern am Albis vs $9,297 in Zurich, rent included.

Affoltern am Albis is about 25% cheaper than Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Affoltern am Albis and Zurich sit above the global median – Affoltern am Albis by 155%, Zurich by 242%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.96 CHF 25.26

$36.39 CHF 29.69

-14.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$173 CHF 141

$148 CHF 121

16.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.84

$18.59 CHF 15.17

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$6.25 CHF 5.10

$7.14 CHF 5.83

-12.46%

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

$5.62 CHF 4.59

$5.83 CHF 4.76

-3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.95

$5.34 CHF 4.36

-9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.79 CHF 7.18

$9.98 CHF 8.14

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CHF 5.49

$8.68 CHF 7.09

-22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$2.21 CHF 1.81

2.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.18

$3.96 CHF 3.23

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 CHF 3.53

$4.02 CHF 3.28

7.71%

Eggs

$7.69 CHF 6.28

$8.46 CHF 6.91

-9.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.36 CHF 22.33

$27.66 CHF 22.57

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.73 CHF 25.08

$27.66 CHF 22.57

11.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.39 CHF 35.41

$61.1 CHF 49.82

-28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.97

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-12.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.70

$2.89 CHF 2.35

-28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.35

$3.57 CHF 2.91

-19.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 CHF 4.50

$4.81 CHF 3.93

14.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.72

$2.69 CHF 2.20

-21.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.19 CHF 1.79

-1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.01

$2.59 CHF 2.11

-5.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.01

$1.33 CHF 1.09

-6.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 9.02

$11.24 CHF 9.17

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.82

$13.77 CHF 11.24

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 CHF 2.39

$2.78 CHF 2.27

5.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CHF 3.38

$3.21 CHF 2.62

28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.94 CHF 3.21

$5.74 CHF 4.68

-31.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 87.5

$110 CHF 90.0

-2.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 CHF 4.50

$8.58 CHF 7.00

-35.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 CHF 2.90

$4.58 CHF 3.74

-22.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 50.2

$91.6 CHF 74.7

-32.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-5.22%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

7.96%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.3K

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

-0.78%

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

$231 CHF 188

$289 CHF 236

-20.20%

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

$32.14 CHF 26.23

$39.21 CHF 32.00

-18.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 CHF 52.4

$57.7 CHF 47.08

11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.8 CHF 75.7

$91.8 CHF 74.9

1.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.14 CHF 39.29

$63.0 CHF 51.4

-23.55%

Cinema Ticket

$24.38 CHF 19.90

$25.56 CHF 20.86

-4.62%

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

$1,875 CHF 1,531

$3,721 CHF 3,037

-49.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.1K CHF 27.0K

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

-24.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$170 CHF 138

$144 CHF 118

17.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.3 CHF 57.3

$59.4 CHF 48.47

18.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$191 CHF 156

$170 CHF 138

12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$279 CHF 228

$267 CHF 218

4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CHF 1,314

$3,117 CHF 2,543

-48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 CHF 1,075

$2,438 CHF 1,989

-45.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,764 CHF 2,256

$6,299 CHF 5,141

-56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 CHF 2,126

$4,288 CHF 3,499

-39.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.5K

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

-39.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,771

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

-27.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,282 CHF 6,759

$8,393 CHF 6,849

-1.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

2.07

-8.21%

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

Last update for Affoltern am Albis: September 8, 2026

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,611 in Affoltern am Albis versus $3,117 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 1% higher in Zurich, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $173 in Affoltern am Albis versus $148 in Zurich. Groceries tell a different story – $630 in Affoltern am Albis vs $679 in Zurich – so Affoltern am Albis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 34% more than Affoltern am Albis, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,284 per month in Affoltern am Albis and $7,072 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 3% less in Affoltern am Albis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,875 per month in Affoltern am Albis and $3,721 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 $3,523 in Affoltern am Albis and $4,715 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 $3,523 versus $4,715 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.