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: $3,897 in Dubendorf versus $3,525 in Meilen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,905 in Dubendorf versus $5,499 in Meilen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,912 in Dubendorf versus $7,473 in Meilen.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 11% more expensive than Meilen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 190% above, Meilen 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.43 CHF 24.16

$31.08 CHF 24.67

-2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$145 CHF 115

2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.87

$18.50 CHF 14.69

1.24%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.03

$6.37 CHF 5.06

-0.63%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.48

$5.87 CHF 4.66

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CHF 4.08

$5.13 CHF 4.07

0.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 CHF 5.88

$8.38 CHF 6.65

-11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$7.27 CHF 5.77

-5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-7.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 CHF 2.67

$3.29 CHF 2.61

2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.91 CHF 3.11

$4.05 CHF 3.21

-3.46%

Eggs

$7.45 CHF 5.92

$7.53 CHF 5.98

-1.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.77 CHF 23.63

$29.71 CHF 23.58

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.02 CHF 25.42

$33.41 CHF 26.52

-4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.3 CHF 39.94

$50.4 CHF 40.01

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.53

$4.23 CHF 3.36

-24.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.30

$2.41 CHF 1.91

20.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 CHF 2.46

$2.99 CHF 2.37

3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.55

$5.18 CHF 4.11

34.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.20

$2.51 CHF 1.99

10.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.90

$2.24 CHF 1.78

6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.03

$2.51 CHF 1.99

1.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CHF 1.33

$1.13 CHF 0.90

47.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.83

$11.01 CHF 8.74

1.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 CHF 11.79

$15.27 CHF 12.12

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$2.16 CHF 1.71

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 CHF 2.36

$2.29 CHF 1.82

29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.79 CHF 6.18

$3.83 CHF 3.04

103.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$125 CHF 99.3

$96.8 CHF 76.8

29.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.66 CHF 5.29

$6.63 CHF 5.26

0.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.37

$4.11 CHF 3.26

3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.1 CHF 62.8

$81.5 CHF 64.7

-2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-0.45%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.6K

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

0.50%

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

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

3.04%

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

$265 CHF 210

$256 CHF 203

3.68%

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

$35.40 CHF 28.11

$58.4 CHF 46.34

-39.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 CHF 41.82

$58.8 CHF 46.71

-10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 CHF 69.4

$88.9 CHF 70.5

-1.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.1 CHF 44.51

$64.7 CHF 51.4

-13.35%

Cinema Ticket

$25.10 CHF 19.92

$27.31 CHF 21.68

-8.09%

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

$2,678 CHF 2,126

$2,795 CHF 2,219

-4.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K CHF 31.2K

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

-1.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 117

$140 CHF 111

5.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 52.7

$61.6 CHF 48.92

7.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$147 CHF 116

1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 CHF 162

$205 CHF 163

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,456

$1,728 CHF 1,372

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CHF 1,473

$1,468 CHF 1,165

26.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,745 CHF 2,179

$2,884 CHF 2,290

-4.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,927 CHF 2,324

$2,465 CHF 1,957

18.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.0K

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

-34.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,434

$11.9K CHF 9,462

-0.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,036 CHF 3,204

$8,694 CHF 6,902

-53.58%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Meilen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Dubendorf and $1,728 in Meilen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $149 in Dubendorf vs $145 in Meilen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $672 vs $665 per month, with Meilen 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 11% in total monthly costs ($3,897 vs $3,525 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Meilen earns 115% 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: $1,834 in Dubendorf versus $1,728 in Meilen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,897 per month in Dubendorf versus $3,525 in Meilen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Meilen runs roughly 29% 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 11% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.