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 $4,347 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,931 in Schaffhausen versus $6,523 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,712 in Schaffhausen versus $8,699 in Zurich.

Living in Schaffhausen costs roughly 28% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 135% above, Zurich 224% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.31 CHF 24.55

$30.22 CHF 23.69

3.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 98.1

$149 CHF 116

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 CHF 12.43

$21.17 CHF 16.59

-25.08%

Cappuccino

$5.43 CHF 4.26

$6.97 CHF 5.47

-22.09%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.25

$5.78 CHF 4.53

-6.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CHF 3.47

$5.40 CHF 4.24

-18.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.43

$10.03 CHF 7.87

-18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 CHF 5.95

$8.58 CHF 6.72

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CHF 1.49

$2.14 CHF 1.68

-11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$3.31 CHF 2.60

14.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.79

$4.07 CHF 3.19

-12.78%

Eggs

$7.66 CHF 6.01

$7.46 CHF 5.85

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.66 CHF 23.25

$29.49 CHF 23.12

0.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.28 CHF 27.66

$33.63 CHF 26.37

4.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.59

$49.90 CHF 39.12

3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 CHF 2.95

$4.02 CHF 3.16

-6.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$2.83 CHF 2.22

-20.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.25

$3.00 CHF 2.35

-4.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 CHF 4.72

$5.22 CHF 4.09

15.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.93

$2.79 CHF 2.19

-11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.28 CHF 1.79

7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.10

$2.54 CHF 1.99

5.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.01

$1.65 CHF 1.30

-22.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 8.85

$11.19 CHF 8.77

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 10.90

$15.18 CHF 11.90

-8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$2.60 CHF 2.04

-47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.15

$3.37 CHF 2.64

-18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$5.01 CHF 3.93

-24.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CHF 66.7

$110 CHF 86.1

-22.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 CHF 7.91

$7.60 CHF 5.96

32.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.22

$4.25 CHF 3.33

-3.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.3 CHF 48.83

$88.4 CHF 69.3

-29.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$2.22 CHF 1.74

-3.15%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

2.42%

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

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

$39.3K CHF 30.8K

8.24%

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

$242 CHF 190

$254 CHF 199

-4.60%

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

$28.69 CHF 22.49

$35.48 CHF 27.81

-19.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CHF 34.13

$58.4 CHF 45.78

-25.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 85.7

$90.7 CHF 71.1

20.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.51 CHF 37.25

$49.80 CHF 39.05

-4.60%

Cinema Ticket

$22.50 CHF 17.64

$24.62 CHF 19.30

-8.61%

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

$3,325 CHF 2,607

$3,356 CHF 2,631

-0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

$39.0K CHF 30.5K

11.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 87.9

$138 CHF 108

-18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 CHF 53.5

$61.7 CHF 48.37

10.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 102

$151 CHF 119

-14.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CHF 124

$205 CHF 161

-22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 CHF 952

$2,780 CHF 2,180

-56.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CHF 957

$2,227 CHF 1,746

-45.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 CHF 2,159

$4,989 CHF 3,911

-44.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CHF 1,696

$3,800 CHF 2,979

-43.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,567 CHF 6,717

$25.3K CHF 19.8K

-66.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,910 CHF 5,417

$16.0K CHF 12.5K

-56.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,437 CHF 7,398

$8,622 CHF 6,760

9.45%

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 Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026

Last update for Zurich: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Schaffhausen and $2,780 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $125 in Schaffhausen vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $675 vs $675 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 38% 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.

Schaffhausen pays 9% 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: $1,214 in Schaffhausen versus $2,780 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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 $125 versus $149 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 38% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.