Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapperswil and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapperswil and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,316 in Rapperswil versus $4,264 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,004 in Rapperswil versus $6,405 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,693 in Rapperswil versus $8,546 in Zurich.

Living in Rapperswil costs roughly 22% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rapperswil 147% above, Zurich 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.58 CHF 24.44

$30.59 CHF 24.45

-0.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 CHF 91.9

$146 CHF 116

-21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.21 CHF 14.56

$20.52 CHF 16.41

-11.26%

Cappuccino

$5.53 CHF 4.42

$6.99 CHF 5.59

-20.89%

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

$5.61 CHF 4.48

$6.08 CHF 4.86

-7.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.91

$5.28 CHF 4.22

-7.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 CHF 6.06

$9.91 CHF 7.92

-23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CHF 4.80

$8.83 CHF 7.06

-32.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 CHF 0.92

$2.24 CHF 1.79

-48.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 CHF 0.87

$3.29 CHF 2.63

-66.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$3.95 CHF 3.15

-38.73%

Eggs

$3.61 CHF 2.89

$7.39 CHF 5.90

-51.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.30 CHF 21.82

$30.07 CHF 24.03

-9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.21 CHF 25.75

$34.13 CHF 27.28

-5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.90 CHF 29.50

$50.9 CHF 40.71

-27.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.92

$4.23 CHF 3.38

-43.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.52

$2.83 CHF 2.26

-32.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.02

$3.01 CHF 2.41

-15.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.94

$5.27 CHF 4.21

-53.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.46

$2.82 CHF 2.25

-35.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.47

$2.34 CHF 1.87

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.04

$2.51 CHF 2.00

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 CHF 0.48

$1.72 CHF 1.37

-65.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 CHF 8.79

$10.87 CHF 8.69

1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.41 CHF 9.12

$15.00 CHF 11.99

-23.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 CHF 0.68

$2.71 CHF 2.17

-68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.91

$3.24 CHF 2.59

-26.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.06

$5.06 CHF 4.04

-24.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.8 CHF 79.8

$109 CHF 87.4

-8.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 CHF 5.38

$7.88 CHF 6.30

-14.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 CHF 3.45

$4.30 CHF 3.43

0.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.5 CHF 62.8

$88.5 CHF 70.7

-11.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 CHF 1.68

$2.32 CHF 1.85

-9.48%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$41.1K CHF 32.9K

-2.07%

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

$42.2K CHF 33.7K

$39.1K CHF 31.2K

7.89%

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

$332 CHF 266

$257 CHF 206

29.03%

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

$59.1 CHF 47.27

$35.13 CHF 28.08

68.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 CHF 42.29

$59.1 CHF 47.26

-10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 CHF 71.7

$89.0 CHF 71.2

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.87

Cinema Ticket

$21.92 CHF 17.52

$24.22 CHF 19.36

-9.50%

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

$2,883 CHF 2,304

$3,382 CHF 2,703

-14.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.3K

$38.9K CHF 31.1K

-12.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 CHF 96.1

$139 CHF 111

-13.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.17 CHF 29.71

$62.5 CHF 49.93

-40.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CHF 80.3

$146 CHF 117

-31.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$198 CHF 159

-69.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 CHF 1,350

$2,676 CHF 2,139

-36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CHF 1,186

$2,185 CHF 1,746

-32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,296

$5,057 CHF 4,042

-43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CHF 1,950

$3,718 CHF 2,971

-34.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.0K

$26.5K CHF 21.2K

-38.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.7K CHF 9,369

$16.9K CHF 13.5K

-30.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,462 CHF 6,764

$8,547 CHF 6,832

-0.99%

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 Rapperswil: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zurich: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,690 in Rapperswil and $2,676 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 1% 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: $115 in Rapperswil vs $146 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $685 per month, with Rapperswil 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

Rapperswil vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rapperswil and Zurich differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($3,316 vs $4,264 including rent). Rapperswil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zurich earns 1% 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: $1,690 in Rapperswil versus $2,676 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,316 per month in Rapperswil versus $4,264 in Zurich – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rapperswil runs roughly 10% 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. Rapperswil 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, Rapperswil 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 Rapperswil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.