Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,151 in Schaffhausen versus $4,715 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,139 in Schaffhausen versus $7,006 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,126 in Schaffhausen versus $9,297 in Zurich.

Living in Schaffhausen costs roughly 33% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 129% above, Zurich 242% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.20 CHF 25.46

$36.39 CHF 29.69

-14.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.0

$148 CHF 121

-18.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.40

$18.59 CHF 15.17

1.51%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.69

$7.14 CHF 5.83

-19.47%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.47

$5.83 CHF 4.76

-6.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CHF 4.07

$5.34 CHF 4.36

-6.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 CHF 7.13

$9.98 CHF 8.14

-12.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CHF 6.09

$8.68 CHF 7.09

-14.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$3.96 CHF 3.23

4.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 CHF 3.55

$4.02 CHF 3.28

8.46%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$8.46 CHF 6.91

-7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.35 CHF 23.14

$27.66 CHF 22.57

2.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.11 CHF 26.20

$27.66 CHF 22.57

16.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.79 CHF 35.74

$61.1 CHF 49.82

-28.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.89 CHF 2.35

-24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.59

$3.57 CHF 2.91

-11.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$4.81 CHF 3.93

18.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$2.69 CHF 2.20

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.19 CHF 1.79

2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$2.59 CHF 2.11

-5.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.33 CHF 1.09

-6.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.17

$11.24 CHF 9.17

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 CHF 11.20

$13.77 CHF 11.24

-0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$2.78 CHF 2.27

9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CHF 3.24

$3.21 CHF 2.62

23.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$5.74 CHF 4.68

-31.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 CHF 81.1

$110 CHF 90.0

-9.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 CHF 5.11

$8.58 CHF 7.00

-27.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$4.58 CHF 3.74

-16.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 50.2

$91.6 CHF 74.7

-32.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.30 CHF 1.88

-3.48%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

9.26%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

2.27%

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

$228 CHF 186

$289 CHF 236

-21.35%

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

$31.99 CHF 26.11

$39.21 CHF 32.00

-18.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.2

$57.7 CHF 47.08

10.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 91.1

$91.8 CHF 74.9

21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.98 CHF 38.34

$63.0 CHF 51.4

-25.39%

Cinema Ticket

$23.97 CHF 19.56

$25.56 CHF 20.86

-6.22%

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

$3,228 CHF 2,634

$3,721 CHF 3,037

-13.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

-24.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$170 CHF 138

$144 CHF 118

17.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 CHF 44.83

$59.4 CHF 48.47

-7.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$193 CHF 157

$170 CHF 138

13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CHF 128

$267 CHF 218

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 CHF 1,112

$3,117 CHF 2,543

-56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CHF 980

$2,438 CHF 1,989

-50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 CHF 2,212

$6,299 CHF 5,141

-56.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CHF 1,967

$4,288 CHF 3,499

-43.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 CHF 6,830

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

-69.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,886

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

-48.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,296 CHF 5,954

$8,393 CHF 6,849

-13.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

2.07

19.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,362 in Schaffhausen and $3,117 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 15% 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: $121 in Schaffhausen vs $148 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $651 vs $679 per month, with Schaffhausen 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

Schaffhausen vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Schaffhausen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Zurich. 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: $1,362 in Schaffhausen versus $3,117 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Zurich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Schaffhausen – a meal for two runs $121 versus $148 in Zurich. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,151 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Schaffhausen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.