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: $3,260 in Lachen versus $4,347 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,998 in Lachen versus $6,523 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,737 in Lachen versus $8,699 in Zurich.

Living in Lachen costs roughly 25% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lachen 143% above, Zurich 224% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.65 CHF 24.03

$30.22 CHF 23.69

1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 117

$149 CHF 116

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.42 CHF 14.44

$21.17 CHF 16.59

-12.99%

Cappuccino

$6.43 CHF 5.04

$6.97 CHF 5.47

-7.75%

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

$5.85 CHF 4.58

$5.78 CHF 4.53

1.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.17 CHF 4.05

$5.40 CHF 4.24

-4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 CHF 5.95

$10.03 CHF 7.87

-24.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.62

$8.58 CHF 6.72

-16.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.73

$2.14 CHF 1.68

3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.01

$3.31 CHF 2.60

-22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.96

$4.07 CHF 3.19

-38.57%

Eggs

$8.17 CHF 6.41

$7.46 CHF 5.85

9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.43 CHF 21.50

$29.49 CHF 23.12

-6.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.67 CHF 11.50

$33.63 CHF 26.37

-56.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.08 CHF 32.20

$49.90 CHF 39.12

-17.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.49

$4.02 CHF 3.16

-21.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CHF 1.48

$2.83 CHF 2.22

-33.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.95

$3.00 CHF 2.35

-17.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 CHF 3.98

$5.22 CHF 4.09

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.95

$2.79 CHF 2.19

-10.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.77

$2.28 CHF 1.79

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CHF 1.95

$2.54 CHF 1.99

-2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.89

$1.65 CHF 1.30

-30.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.74 CHF 8.42

$11.19 CHF 8.77

-4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 CHF 9.23

$15.18 CHF 11.90

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CHF 1.72

$2.60 CHF 2.04

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.81

$3.37 CHF 2.64

-31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.88 CHF 3.04

$5.01 CHF 3.93

-22.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 77.8

$110 CHF 86.1

-9.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 CHF 5.38

$7.60 CHF 5.96

-9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.25

$4.25 CHF 3.33

-2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.2 CHF 62.1

$88.4 CHF 69.3

-10.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.72

$2.22 CHF 1.74

-0.90%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.2K

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

-0.24%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

$39.3K CHF 30.8K

4.08%

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

$122 CHF 95.4

$254 CHF 199

-52.08%

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

$60.3 CHF 47.26

$35.48 CHF 27.81

69.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 CHF 42.50

$58.4 CHF 45.78

-7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 CHF 70.3

$90.7 CHF 71.1

-1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.80 CHF 39.05

Cinema Ticket

$22.05 CHF 17.29

$24.62 CHF 19.30

-10.44%

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

$2,857 CHF 2,240

$3,356 CHF 2,631

-14.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.3K

$39.0K CHF 30.5K

-10.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 CHF 97.4

$138 CHF 108

-10.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 CHF 50.8

$61.7 CHF 48.37

5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$154 CHF 121

$151 CHF 119

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 CHF 185

$205 CHF 161

15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 CHF 1,342

$2,780 CHF 2,180

-38.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 CHF 1,141

$2,227 CHF 1,746

-34.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 CHF 2,224

$4,989 CHF 3,911

-43.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 CHF 1,897

$3,800 CHF 2,979

-36.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K CHF 10.9K

$25.3K CHF 19.8K

-45.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,344

$16.0K CHF 12.5K

-33.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$10.2K CHF 8,035

$8,622 CHF 6,760

18.87%

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 Lachen: April 21, 2026

Last update for Zurich: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,712 in Lachen and $2,780 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 19% 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 Lachen vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $507 vs $675 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 33% 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.

Lachen pays 19% more on average, 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: $1,712 in Lachen versus $2,780 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 11% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,857 in Lachen versus $3,356 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 $3,260 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 33% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.