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: $3,251 in Rapperswil versus $4,347 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,906 in Rapperswil versus $6,523 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,562 in Rapperswil versus $8,699 in Zurich.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.61 CHF 24.00

$30.22 CHF 23.69

1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 CHF 90.6

$149 CHF 116

-22.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 14.51

$21.17 CHF 16.59

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$5.57 CHF 4.37

$6.97 CHF 5.47

-20.09%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.28

$5.78 CHF 4.53

-5.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CHF 3.90

$5.40 CHF 4.24

-7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 CHF 5.73

$10.03 CHF 7.87

-27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 CHF 4.80

$8.58 CHF 6.72

-28.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 CHF 0.90

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-46.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 CHF 0.85

$3.31 CHF 2.60

-67.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.87

$4.07 CHF 3.19

-41.28%

Eggs

$3.60 CHF 2.82

$7.46 CHF 5.85

-51.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.64 CHF 21.67

$29.49 CHF 23.12

-6.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.79 CHF 24.92

$33.63 CHF 26.37

-5.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.72 CHF 28.79

$49.90 CHF 39.12

-26.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.94

$4.02 CHF 3.16

-38.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.42

$2.83 CHF 2.22

-35.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.96

$3.00 CHF 2.35

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.98

$5.22 CHF 4.09

-51.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.47

$2.79 CHF 2.19

-32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.42

$2.28 CHF 1.79

-20.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.04

$2.54 CHF 1.99

2.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 CHF 0.51

$1.65 CHF 1.30

-60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 CHF 8.45

$11.19 CHF 8.77

-3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.65 CHF 9.13

$15.18 CHF 11.90

-23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 CHF 0.65

$2.60 CHF 2.04

-68.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.81

$3.37 CHF 2.64

-31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.86 CHF 3.03

$5.01 CHF 3.93

-22.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 CHF 76.1

$110 CHF 86.1

-11.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 CHF 5.30

$7.60 CHF 5.96

-11.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.28

$4.25 CHF 3.33

-1.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.6 CHF 62.4

$88.4 CHF 69.3

-9.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.67

$2.22 CHF 1.74

-4.05%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.2K

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

2.81%

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

$41.9K CHF 32.8K

$39.3K CHF 30.8K

6.65%

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

$326 CHF 256

$254 CHF 199

28.38%

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

$59.8 CHF 46.84

$35.48 CHF 27.81

68.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 CHF 41.70

$58.4 CHF 45.78

-8.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 CHF 67.7

$90.7 CHF 71.1

-4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.80 CHF 39.05

Cinema Ticket

$22.04 CHF 17.28

$24.62 CHF 19.30

-10.48%

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

$2,842 CHF 2,228

$3,356 CHF 2,631

-15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 27.3K

$39.0K CHF 30.5K

-10.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 CHF 95.0

$138 CHF 108

-12.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 CHF 28.68

$61.7 CHF 48.37

-40.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CHF 78.7

$151 CHF 119

-33.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.5 CHF 48.20

$205 CHF 161

-70.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CHF 1,333

$2,780 CHF 2,180

-38.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 CHF 1,143

$2,227 CHF 1,746

-34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,840 CHF 2,227

$4,989 CHF 3,911

-43.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 CHF 1,968

$3,800 CHF 2,979

-33.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,409

$25.3K CHF 19.8K

-52.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,897 CHF 7,759

$16.0K CHF 12.5K

-38.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,603 CHF 6,745

$8,622 CHF 6,760

-0.23%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Zurich: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,700 in Rapperswil and $2,780 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 0% 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: $116 in Rapperswil vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $675 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 34% in total monthly costs ($3,251 vs $4,347 including rent). Rapperswil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zurich earns 0% 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: $1,700 in Rapperswil versus $2,780 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,251 per month in Rapperswil versus $4,347 in Zurich – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rapperswil runs roughly 13% 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 34% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.