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: $3,172 in Schaffhausen versus $4,229 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,928 in Schaffhausen versus $6,508 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,685 in Schaffhausen versus $8,786 in Zurich.

Living in Schaffhausen costs roughly 25% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 137% above, Zurich 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 25.55

$31.02 CHF 25.32

0.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.4

$146 CHF 119

-16.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.11 CHF 13.15

$20.79 CHF 16.97

-22.51%

Cappuccino

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$6.71 CHF 5.47

-15.35%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.37

$6.13 CHF 5.00

-12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.57

$5.29 CHF 4.32

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$10.00 CHF 8.16

-20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 CHF 6.18

$8.65 CHF 7.06

-12.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.60

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.09

$3.41 CHF 2.79

10.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-5.87%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$7.54 CHF 6.16

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.80 CHF 24.32

$29.54 CHF 24.11

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.49 CHF 28.97

$33.89 CHF 27.66

4.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.0 CHF 41.59

$50.2 CHF 40.95

1.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-11.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$2.83 CHF 2.31

-20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.35

$3.02 CHF 2.46

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CHF 4.98

$5.04 CHF 4.11

21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.74 CHF 2.24

-9.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.03

$2.30 CHF 1.87

7.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.18

$2.45 CHF 2.00

8.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.04

$1.66 CHF 1.36

-23.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 CHF 8.93

$11.12 CHF 9.08

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 CHF 10.95

$13.75 CHF 11.22

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$2.74 CHF 2.24

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.12

$3.31 CHF 2.70

-21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$4.84 CHF 3.95

-18.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$109 CHF 89.2

-21.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 CHF 8.20

$7.64 CHF 6.24

31.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 CHF 3.30

$4.11 CHF 3.36

-1.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 CHF 50.5

$87.4 CHF 71.3

-29.14%

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)

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

-1.57%

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

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$38.8K CHF 31.6K

9.48%

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

$247 CHF 202

$255 CHF 208

-3.12%

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

$28.70 CHF 23.42

$35.92 CHF 29.32

-20.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 CHF 35.05

$59.7 CHF 48.74

-28.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 88.6

$89.3 CHF 72.9

21.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.47 CHF 38.74

$50.5 CHF 41.21

-5.98%

Cinema Ticket

$22.34 CHF 18.24

$24.36 CHF 19.88

-8.29%

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

$3,354 CHF 2,738

$3,397 CHF 2,773

-1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

$39.5K CHF 32.3K

9.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 91.4

$142 CHF 116

-21.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 CHF 55.2

$60.7 CHF 49.51

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$149 CHF 121

-10.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 CHF 126

$201 CHF 164

-23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 CHF 1,001

$2,698 CHF 2,202

-54.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 CHF 1,018

$2,208 CHF 1,802

-43.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 CHF 2,171

$4,893 CHF 3,994

-45.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 CHF 1,808

$3,760 CHF 3,069

-41.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,226 CHF 6,714

$26.8K CHF 21.9K

-69.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,564 CHF 6,990

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

-48.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,453 CHF 6,083

$8,316 CHF 6,787

-10.38%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,226 in Schaffhausen and $2,698 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 12% 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: $122 in Schaffhausen vs $146 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $675 vs $677 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 33% 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 12% 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: $1,226 in Schaffhausen versus $2,698 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 $122 versus $146 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 $3,172 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 33% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.