Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Moritz and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Moritz and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,860 in St. Moritz versus $4,254 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,585 in St. Moritz versus $6,409 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,310 in St. Moritz versus $8,563 in Zurich.

Living in St. Moritz costs roughly 9% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. Moritz 188% above, Zurich 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.07 CHF 24.50

$31.04 CHF 24.47

0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$149 CHF 118

-2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 CHF 11.80

$20.83 CHF 16.42

-28.13%

Cappuccino

$6.23 CHF 4.91

$6.72 CHF 5.29

-7.29%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.25

$5.90 CHF 4.65

-8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 CHF 3.74

$5.35 CHF 4.22

-11.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 CHF 7.93

$9.85 CHF 7.76

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CHF 4.92

$8.82 CHF 6.95

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 CHF 1.06

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-40.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 CHF 2.70

$3.29 CHF 2.60

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 CHF 3.26

$4.12 CHF 3.25

0.24%

Eggs

$7.30 CHF 5.75

$7.19 CHF 5.67

1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.69 CHF 23.41

$29.88 CHF 23.56

-0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.98 CHF 26.01

$33.59 CHF 26.48

-1.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.8 CHF 40.05

$49.65 CHF 39.14

2.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 CHF 3.29

$4.04 CHF 3.18

3.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.27

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.38

$3.05 CHF 2.40

-1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 CHF 3.96

$5.24 CHF 4.13

-4.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.17

$2.85 CHF 2.25

-3.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-0.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.00

$2.50 CHF 1.97

1.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.31

$1.70 CHF 1.34

-2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 CHF 8.78

$10.96 CHF 8.64

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 CHF 12.01

$15.06 CHF 11.87

1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$2.62 CHF 2.07

1.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.06 CHF 3.20

$4.82 CHF 3.80

-15.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 76.9

$106 CHF 83.7

-8.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.21

$7.55 CHF 5.95

4.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.42 CHF 3.48

$4.15 CHF 3.27

6.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.4 CHF 70.5

$89.1 CHF 70.2

0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-5.68%

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

$40.3K CHF 31.8K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-1.89%

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

$38.8K CHF 30.6K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

-1.39%

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

$99.4 CHF 78.4

$259 CHF 204

-61.54%

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

$35.27 CHF 27.80

$35.51 CHF 28.00

-0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CHF 47.18

$58.5 CHF 46.08

2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 CHF 57.5

$88.8 CHF 70.0

-17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.72 CHF 14.76

$25.07 CHF 19.77

-25.33%

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

$3,475 CHF 2,740

$3,470 CHF 2,736

0.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

1.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$137 CHF 108

3.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 CHF 48.50

$62.3 CHF 49.13

-1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$148 CHF 117

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 CHF 1,355

$2,686 CHF 2,118

-36.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 CHF 1,532

$2,205 CHF 1,738

-11.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 CHF 2,207

$4,902 CHF 3,865

-42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,676 CHF 3,687

$3,702 CHF 2,919

26.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.9K CHF 10.1K

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

-21.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,022 CHF 3,959

$8,722 CHF 6,876

-42.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.8

2.09

-13.88%

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

Last update for St. Moritz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zurich: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,719 in St. Moritz and $2,686 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 74% 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: $145 in St. Moritz vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $668 vs $677 per month, with St. Moritz 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

St. Moritz vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Moritz and Zurich differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($3,860 vs $4,254 including rent). St. Moritz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zurich earns 74% 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: $1,719 in St. Moritz versus $2,686 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in St. Moritz runs roughly 9% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,475 in St. Moritz versus $3,470 in Zurich. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. St. Moritz 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, St. Moritz 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 St. Moritz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.