Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Zurich

For one person, living is cheaper in Dubendorf: $3,678 a month against $4,451 in Zurich, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

180

Cost of Living Index in Dubendorf
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Dubendorf Living Index
217

Cost of Living Index in Zurich
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Zurich Living Index

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Dubendorf

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,678

/mo nomad

Zurich

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,451

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubendorf and in Zurich

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dubendorf and in Zurich actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,678 in Dubendorf versus $4,451 in Zurich.

Dubendorf $3,678
Zurich $4,451

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,457 in Dubendorf versus $6,817 in Zurich.

Dubendorf $5,457
Zurich $6,817

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,236 in Dubendorf versus $9,184 in Zurich.

Dubendorf $7,236
Zurich $9,184

Living in Dubendorf costs roughly 17% less than in Zurich, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 172% above, Zurich 230% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.44 CHF 24.24

$34.71 CHF 28.59

-15.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 CHF 97.4

$144 CHF 119

-18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.26 CHF 13.39

$17.69 CHF 14.57

-8.08%

Cappuccino

$5.92 CHF 4.88

$6.91 CHF 5.69

-14.33%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.50

$5.86 CHF 4.83

-6.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 CHF 4.02

$5.15 CHF 4.24

-5.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 CHF 6.78

$9.70 CHF 7.99

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 CHF 5.30

$8.28 CHF 6.82

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CHF 1.73

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 CHF 3.23

$3.78 CHF 3.11

3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.62 CHF 3.81

$3.68 CHF 3.03

25.54%

Eggs

$7.33 CHF 6.04

$8.54 CHF 7.03

-14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.45 CHF 26.72

$27.22 CHF 22.42

19.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.18 CHF 21.56

$27.67 CHF 22.79

-5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.54 CHF 35.03

$61.7 CHF 50.8

-31.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.94

$4.14 CHF 3.41

-13.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.73

$2.68 CHF 2.21

-21.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 CHF 2.56

$3.54 CHF 2.91

-12.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.00 CHF 5.76

$4.45 CHF 3.67

57.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.05

$2.54 CHF 2.09

-1.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.07

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.15

$1.24 CHF 1.02

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.91 CHF 8.98

$10.62 CHF 8.75

2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 CHF 10.98

$13.83 CHF 11.39

-3.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.93

$2.66 CHF 2.19

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CHF 2.83

$3.18 CHF 2.62

8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CHF 1.93

$5.39 CHF 4.44

-56.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.20 CHF 39.69

$106 CHF 87.2

-54.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 CHF 4.42

$7.93 CHF 6.54

-32.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 CHF 2.82

$4.50 CHF 3.71

-23.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 49.90

$89.4 CHF 73.6

-32.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.28 CHF 1.87

-1.32%

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

$41.8K CHF 34.5K

$39.0K CHF 32.1K

7.29%

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

$39.0K CHF 32.1K

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

-1.25%

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

$235 CHF 194

$276 CHF 227

-14.86%

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

$31.38 CHF 25.84

$36.80 CHF 30.31

-14.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 CHF 53.7

$56.0 CHF 46.10

16.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 CHF 99.5

$91.3 CHF 75.2

32.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$78.7 CHF 64.8

$60.0 CHF 49.43

31.16%

Cinema Ticket

$24.26 CHF 19.98

$24.81 CHF 20.43

-2.22%

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

$1,777 CHF 1,463

$3,505 CHF 2,887

-49.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K CHF 26.7K

$41.7K CHF 34.3K

-22.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 115

$139 CHF 115

0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.0 CHF 71.6

$58.3 CHF 48.04

49.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 120

$166 CHF 137

-12.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 142

$260 CHF 214

-33.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 CHF 1,486

$2,916 CHF 2,402

-38.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 CHF 1,462

$2,308 CHF 1,901

-23.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,812 CHF 2,316

$5,918 CHF 4,874

-52.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,763 CHF 2,275

$4,092 CHF 3,370

-32.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,902

$26.8K CHF 22.1K

-55.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,098 CHF 5,846

$16.2K CHF 13.4K

-56.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,844 CHF 3,166

$7,928 CHF 6,529

-51.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

2.07

19.81%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: October 12, 2026

Last update for Zurich: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dubendorf

$1.8K 48.3%

Zurich

$2.3K 51.9% 30% $533

Groceries & Markets

Dubendorf

$626 17%

Zurich

$671 15.1% 7.3% $46

Eating Out

Dubendorf

$451 12.3%

Zurich

$523 11.7% 16% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dubendorf

$332 9%

Zurich

$369 8.3% 11.2% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Dubendorf

$245 6.7%

Zurich

$281 6.3% 14.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Dubendorf

$169 4.6%

Zurich

$141 3.2% 16.7% $28

Getting Around

Dubendorf

$80 2.2%

Zurich

$158 3.6% 97.2% $78

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,805 in Dubendorf and $2,916 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 106% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $118 in Dubendorf vs $144 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $626 vs $671 per month, with Dubendorf cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Dubendorf

🇨🇭 Zurich

🕒 Local time

07:01 7:01 AM

Same time as Dubendorf

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,759

443,037

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dubendorf Zurich 6 km

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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 Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubendorf and Zurich differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($3,678 vs $4,451 including rent). Dubendorf is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 106% lower in Zurich. 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: $1,805 in Dubendorf versus $2,916 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,678 per month in Dubendorf versus $4,451 in Zurich – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dubendorf runs roughly 120% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Dubendorf 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 Zurich 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 Dubendorf gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.