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: $3,186 in Lachen versus $4,264 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,928 in Lachen versus $6,405 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,670 in Lachen versus $8,546 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 137% above, Zurich 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.19 CHF 24.09

$30.59 CHF 24.42

-1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 119

$146 CHF 116

2.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.41 CHF 14.69

$20.52 CHF 16.38

-10.28%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.91

$6.99 CHF 5.58

-12.02%

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

$5.67 CHF 4.52

$6.08 CHF 4.85

-6.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 CHF 4.14

$5.28 CHF 4.21

-1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.46 CHF 5.95

$9.91 CHF 7.91

-24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 CHF 5.51

$8.83 CHF 7.05

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.82

$2.24 CHF 1.78

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CHF 2.09

$3.29 CHF 2.63

-20.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.93

$3.95 CHF 3.15

-38.73%

Eggs

$8.03 CHF 6.41

$7.39 CHF 5.90

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.06 CHF 22.39

$30.07 CHF 24.00

-6.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.85 CHF 11.85

$34.13 CHF 27.25

-56.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.43 CHF 32.27

$50.9 CHF 40.66

-20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.57

$4.23 CHF 3.37

-23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 CHF 1.53

$2.83 CHF 2.26

-32.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.91

$3.01 CHF 2.40

-20.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CHF 3.99

$5.27 CHF 4.20

-5.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CHF 2.07

$2.82 CHF 2.25

-8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.81

$2.34 CHF 1.86

-2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.06

$2.51 CHF 2.00

2.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 CHF 0.88

$1.72 CHF 1.37

-36.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.79

$10.87 CHF 8.68

1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 CHF 9.18

$15.00 CHF 11.97

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.79

$2.71 CHF 2.17

-17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.91

$3.24 CHF 2.58

-26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 CHF 3.13

$5.06 CHF 4.04

-22.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 CHF 78.4

$109 CHF 87.3

-10.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 CHF 5.54

$7.88 CHF 6.29

-11.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.20 CHF 3.35

$4.30 CHF 3.43

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.0 CHF 63.8

$88.5 CHF 70.6

-9.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.70

$2.32 CHF 1.85

-8.19%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.4K

$41.1K CHF 32.8K

-1.18%

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

$42.2K CHF 33.6K

$39.1K CHF 31.2K

7.86%

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

$125 CHF 99.5

$257 CHF 206

-51.57%

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

$59.6 CHF 47.58

$35.13 CHF 28.04

69.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CHF 42.87

$59.1 CHF 47.19

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 CHF 69.3

$89.0 CHF 71.1

-2.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.81

Cinema Ticket

$21.82 CHF 17.42

$24.22 CHF 19.33

-9.91%

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

$2,850 CHF 2,274

$3,382 CHF 2,699

-15.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.2K

$38.9K CHF 31.1K

-12.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 CHF 97.4

$139 CHF 111

-12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CHF 52.7

$62.5 CHF 49.86

5.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 124

$146 CHF 117

6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$236 CHF 188

$198 CHF 158

18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 CHF 1,330

$2,676 CHF 2,136

-37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,457 CHF 1,163

$2,185 CHF 1,744

-33.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,792 CHF 2,229

$5,057 CHF 4,037

-44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 CHF 1,949

$3,718 CHF 2,967

-34.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 12.9K

$26.5K CHF 21.1K

-38.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.7K CHF 9,364

$16.9K CHF 13.5K

-30.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$10.1K CHF 8,030

$8,547 CHF 6,822

17.70%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zurich: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,666 in Lachen and $2,676 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 18% 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 $146 in Zurich. Groceries flip the comparison at $508 vs $685, with Lachen cheaper for home cooking.

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 34% 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 18% 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: $1,666 in Lachen versus $2,676 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 $2,850 in Lachen versus $3,382 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 $3,186 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 34% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.