Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,879 in Dubendorf versus $3,550 in Meilen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,803 in Dubendorf versus $5,422 in Meilen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,726 in Dubendorf versus $7,295 in Meilen.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 9% more expensive than Meilen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 190% above, Meilen 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.19

$31.33 CHF 24.78

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 115

$150 CHF 118

-2.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.17 CHF 14.38

$18.66 CHF 14.76

-2.63%

Cappuccino

$6.44 CHF 5.09

$6.19 CHF 4.90

4.04%

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

$5.68 CHF 4.50

$6.08 CHF 4.81

-6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 CHF 5.98

$8.43 CHF 6.67

-10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 CHF 5.68

$7.45 CHF 5.89

-3.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 CHF 2.61

$3.28 CHF 2.60

0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 CHF 3.15

$4.12 CHF 3.26

-3.16%

Eggs

$7.33 CHF 5.80

$7.52 CHF 5.95

-2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.71 CHF 23.50

$29.67 CHF 23.47

0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.06 CHF 25.36

$33.85 CHF 26.77

-5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.00 CHF 38.76

$50.4 CHF 39.86

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.56

$4.24 CHF 3.35

-23.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.22

$2.52 CHF 1.99

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.50

$3.02 CHF 2.39

4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.53

$5.22 CHF 4.13

33.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.50 CHF 1.98

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$2.29 CHF 1.81

3.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CHF 1.95

$2.58 CHF 2.04

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.32

$1.14 CHF 0.90

46.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.62

$10.99 CHF 8.69

-0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 CHF 11.89

$15.56 CHF 12.31

-3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$2.16 CHF 1.71

0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CHF 2.36

$2.27 CHF 1.80

31.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.68 CHF 6.07

$4.03 CHF 3.18

90.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 CHF 96.8

$98.2 CHF 77.7

24.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 CHF 5.33

$6.87 CHF 5.43

-1.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.16 CHF 3.29

$4.14 CHF 3.28

0.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.1 CHF 63.3

$78.9 CHF 62.4

1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$2.24 CHF 1.77

1.34%

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

$40.0K CHF 31.7K

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

-2.37%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.5K

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

0.78%

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

$263 CHF 208

$255 CHF 201

3.24%

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

$36.37 CHF 28.77

$59.4 CHF 46.96

-38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 CHF 42.84

$57.5 CHF 45.51

-5.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.4 CHF 68.3

$88.9 CHF 70.3

-2.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.4 CHF 44.61

$65.1 CHF 51.5

-13.42%

Cinema Ticket

$24.57 CHF 19.44

$27.58 CHF 21.82

-10.91%

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

$2,668 CHF 2,110

$2,847 CHF 2,252

-6.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K CHF 31.1K

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

0.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 CHF 117

$142 CHF 112

4.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.6 CHF 51.9

$62.5 CHF 49.46

4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 119

$149 CHF 118

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 158

$200 CHF 159

-0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 CHF 1,446

$1,669 CHF 1,320

9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,471

$1,442 CHF 1,141

28.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,730 CHF 2,160

$2,880 CHF 2,278

-5.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,273

$2,497 CHF 1,975

15.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

-2.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K CHF 8,472

$10.6K CHF 8,399

0.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,109 CHF 3,250

$8,496 CHF 6,720

-51.64%

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 Dubendorf: April 27, 2026

Last update for Meilen: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,828 in Dubendorf and $1,669 in Meilen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $146 in Dubendorf vs $150 in Meilen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $667 vs $669 per month, with Dubendorf cheaper across the board.

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

Dubendorf vs Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubendorf and Meilen differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,879 vs $3,550 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Meilen earns 107% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,828 in Dubendorf versus $1,669 in Meilen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,879 per month in Dubendorf versus $3,550 in Meilen – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Meilen runs roughly 25% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dubendorf and Meilen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meilen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.