Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,830 per month in Solothurn vs $4,270 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,520 per month in Solothurn vs $6,491 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,211 per month in Solothurn vs $8,712 in Zurich, rent included.

Solothurn is about 34% cheaper than Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Solothurn and Zurich sit above the global median – Solothurn by 112%, Zurich by 220%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.25

$30.84 CHF 24.93

1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$147 CHF 119

-2.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.22

$20.72 CHF 16.75

2.80%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.28

$6.94 CHF 5.61

-5.91%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.56

$6.04 CHF 4.88

-6.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.36

$5.24 CHF 4.24

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.56

$9.83 CHF 7.95

-30.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.13

$8.52 CHF 6.88

-25.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.18 CHF 1.76

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$3.25 CHF 2.63

0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$4.12 CHF 3.33

-20.87%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.83

$7.26 CHF 5.87

-0.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.31

$30.00 CHF 24.26

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.42

$34.06 CHF 27.54

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.06

$50.2 CHF 40.56

-20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$4.09 CHF 3.31

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.33

$2.91 CHF 2.35

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.41

$3.02 CHF 2.44

-0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.40

$4.98 CHF 4.02

-15.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$2.75 CHF 2.22

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-14.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$1.72 CHF 1.39

-38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.90

$11.29 CHF 9.13

-2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.87

$13.58 CHF 10.98

-28.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$3.23 CHF 2.61

-25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$5.02 CHF 4.06

-27.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.5

$107 CHF 86.6

-9.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.14

$7.81 CHF 6.31

-2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$4.31 CHF 3.48

-3.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.7

$86.9 CHF 70.2

-13.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.24 CHF 1.81

4.02%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.1K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-6.26%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.4K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-2.41%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.3

$258 CHF 209

-62.45%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.49

$36.31 CHF 29.36

-16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.77

$59.4 CHF 48.02

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.0

$89.5 CHF 72.3

-18.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.03

$50.1 CHF 40.49

-50.54%

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.21

$24.81 CHF 20.06

0.77%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,766

$3,344 CHF 2,703

2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.7K

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

-50.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$138 CHF 111

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.48

$61.7 CHF 49.90

-28.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.3

$147 CHF 119

-32.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$200 CHF 162

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,034

$2,721 CHF 2,200

-53.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 876

$2,227 CHF 1,800

-51.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,503

$5,054 CHF 4,086

-63.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,417

$3,797 CHF 3,070

-53.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,947

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

-63.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,991

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

-69.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,500

$8,287 CHF 6,700

-17.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

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

Last update for Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Solothurn versus $2,721 in Zurich. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Zurich, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Solothurn versus $147 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $604 vs $676 – making Solothurn the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Solothurn vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,830 in Solothurn, $4,270 in Zurich – roughly 51% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,244 per month in Solothurn and $6,406 in Zurich. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Solothurn, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,830 in Solothurn and $4,270 in Zurich. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Solothurn. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,830 in Solothurn and $4,270 in Zurich. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Zurich has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,830 in Solothurn to $4,270 in Zurich. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Solothurn. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.