Cost of Living Comparison Between Lachen and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Lachen and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,393 in Lachen versus $4,715 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,242 in Lachen versus $7,006 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,091 in Lachen versus $9,297 in Zurich.

Living in Lachen costs roughly 28% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lachen 146% above, Zurich 242% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.30 CHF 24.73

$36.39 CHF 29.69

-16.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 101

$148 CHF 121

-16.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.36 CHF 13.35

$18.59 CHF 15.17

-12.00%

Cappuccino

$6.57 CHF 5.36

$7.14 CHF 5.83

-7.98%

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

$5.55 CHF 4.53

$5.83 CHF 4.76

-4.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CHF 4.20

$5.34 CHF 4.36

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 CHF 6.94

$9.98 CHF 8.14

-14.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.60 CHF 7.83

$8.68 CHF 7.09

10.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.21 CHF 1.81

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 CHF 2.79

$3.96 CHF 3.23

-13.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.63

$4.02 CHF 3.28

10.70%

Eggs

$7.71 CHF 6.29

$8.46 CHF 6.91

-8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.76 CHF 21.84

$27.66 CHF 22.57

-3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.93 CHF 21.98

$27.66 CHF 22.57

-2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.68 CHF 34.02

$61.1 CHF 49.82

-31.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-13.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$2.89 CHF 2.35

-24.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.17

$3.57 CHF 2.91

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 CHF 3.86

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-1.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.63

$2.69 CHF 2.20

-25.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.80

$2.19 CHF 1.79

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.59 CHF 2.11

-3.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CHF 1.17

$1.33 CHF 1.09

7.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 9.03

$11.24 CHF 9.17

-1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 CHF 11.21

$13.77 CHF 11.24

-0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CHF 1.82

$2.78 CHF 2.27

-20.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 CHF 2.28

$3.21 CHF 2.62

-12.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.71 CHF 3.84

$5.74 CHF 4.68

-17.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 CHF 73.0

$110 CHF 90.0

-18.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 CHF 6.25

$8.58 CHF 7.00

-10.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.86 CHF 3.97

$4.58 CHF 3.74

6.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 71.3

$91.6 CHF 74.7

-4.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-1.74%

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

$44.4K CHF 36.3K

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

8.51%

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

$40.6K CHF 33.1K

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

1.84%

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

$243 CHF 198

$289 CHF 236

-16.15%

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

$32.92 CHF 26.86

$39.21 CHF 32.00

-16.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 CHF 55.1

$57.7 CHF 47.08

16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.3 CHF 76.1

$91.8 CHF 74.9

1.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.15 CHF 39.29

$63.0 CHF 51.4

-23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$22.20 CHF 18.11

$25.56 CHF 20.86

-13.15%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,370

$3,721 CHF 3,037

-21.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.6K CHF 36.4K

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 118

0.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.3 CHF 73.7

$59.4 CHF 48.47

52.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 120

$170 CHF 138

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 CHF 144

$267 CHF 218

-34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,729 CHF 1,411

$3,117 CHF 2,543

-44.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 CHF 1,187

$2,438 CHF 1,989

-40.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,087 CHF 2,519

$6,299 CHF 5,141

-50.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,558 CHF 2,088

$4,288 CHF 3,499

-40.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.1K CHF 13.1K

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

-41.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

-24.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,801 CHF 7,998

$8,393 CHF 6,849

16.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.07

-16.91%

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

Last update for Lachen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,729 in Lachen and $3,117 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $124 in Lachen vs $148 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $591 vs $679 per month, with Lachen 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

Lachen vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lachen wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lachen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Lachen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,729 in Lachen versus $3,117 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lachen runs roughly 23% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,904 in Lachen versus $3,721 in Zurich. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Lachen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,393 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lachen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lachen 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 Lachen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.