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: $3,241 in Rapperswil versus $4,229 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,956 in Rapperswil versus $6,508 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,672 in Rapperswil versus $8,786 in Zurich.

Living in Rapperswil costs roughly 23% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rapperswil 143% above, Zurich 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.47 CHF 24.91

$31.02 CHF 25.36

-1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 CHF 94.3

$146 CHF 119

-20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.60 CHF 15.21

$20.79 CHF 17.00

-10.53%

Cappuccino

$5.38 CHF 4.40

$6.71 CHF 5.48

-19.82%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.47

$6.13 CHF 5.01

-10.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CHF 4.15

$5.29 CHF 4.33

-4.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 CHF 6.22

$10.00 CHF 8.18

-23.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CHF 5.17

$8.65 CHF 7.07

-26.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-49.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 CHF 0.89

$3.41 CHF 2.79

-68.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 2.00

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-37.50%

Eggs

$3.80 CHF 3.10

$7.54 CHF 6.17

-49.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.52 CHF 22.51

$29.54 CHF 24.16

-6.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.81 CHF 26.01

$33.89 CHF 27.71

-6.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.08 CHF 30.32

$50.2 CHF 41.02

-26.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.04

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 CHF 1.52

$2.83 CHF 2.32

-34.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.06

$3.02 CHF 2.47

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.07

$5.04 CHF 4.12

-49.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.49

$2.74 CHF 2.24

-33.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 CHF 1.54

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-17.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$2.45 CHF 2.00

6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 CHF 0.50

$1.66 CHF 1.36

-63.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CHF 8.98

$11.12 CHF 9.09

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 CHF 11.21

$13.75 CHF 11.25

-0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 CHF 0.69

$2.74 CHF 2.24

-69.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$3.31 CHF 2.71

-30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.87 CHF 3.16

$4.84 CHF 3.96

-20.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.4 CHF 80.5

$109 CHF 89.4

-9.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 CHF 5.66

$7.64 CHF 6.25

-9.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.34 CHF 3.55

$4.11 CHF 3.36

5.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.0 CHF 65.4

$87.4 CHF 71.4

-8.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-5.33%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.3K

$40.3K CHF 33.0K

0.95%

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

$42.0K CHF 34.3K

$38.8K CHF 31.7K

8.24%

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

$334 CHF 274

$255 CHF 209

31.15%

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

$60.1 CHF 49.13

$35.92 CHF 29.37

67.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 CHF 44.32

$59.7 CHF 48.83

-9.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 72.7

$89.3 CHF 73.0

-0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.5 CHF 41.29

Cinema Ticket

$22.28 CHF 18.22

$24.36 CHF 19.92

-8.54%

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

$2,817 CHF 2,304

$3,397 CHF 2,778

-17.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.3K CHF 28.1K

$39.5K CHF 32.3K

-13.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 CHF 98.0

$142 CHF 116

-15.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 CHF 30.15

$60.7 CHF 49.60

-39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CHF 81.9

$149 CHF 121

-32.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.9 CHF 50.6

$201 CHF 165

-69.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CHF 1,379

$2,698 CHF 2,206

-37.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,221

$2,208 CHF 1,805

-32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 CHF 2,341

$4,893 CHF 4,001

-41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 CHF 1,998

$3,760 CHF 3,074

-35.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.7K CHF 14.5K

$26.8K CHF 21.9K

-34.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.6K

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

-15.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,341 CHF 6,821

$8,316 CHF 6,800

0.31%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Rapperswil and $2,698 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rapperswil pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $115 in Rapperswil vs $146 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $510 vs $677 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 30% in total monthly costs ($3,241 vs $4,229 including rent). Rapperswil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Rapperswil, 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: $1,687 in Rapperswil versus $2,698 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,241 per month in Rapperswil versus $4,229 in Zurich – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rapperswil runs roughly 11% 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 30% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.