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: $3,869 in St. Moritz versus $4,270 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,602 in St. Moritz versus $6,491 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,335 in St. Moritz versus $8,712 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 190% above, Zurich 220% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.35 CHF 25.34

$30.84 CHF 24.93

1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$147 CHF 119

0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.73 CHF 11.91

$20.72 CHF 16.75

-28.91%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.02

$6.94 CHF 5.61

-10.52%

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

$5.53 CHF 4.47

$6.04 CHF 4.88

-8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$5.24 CHF 4.24

-10.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.11 CHF 8.18

$9.83 CHF 7.95

2.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 CHF 5.02

$8.52 CHF 6.88

-27.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 CHF 1.13

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-36.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.75

$3.25 CHF 2.63

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.30

$4.12 CHF 3.33

-0.97%

Eggs

$7.36 CHF 5.95

$7.26 CHF 5.87

1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.37 CHF 23.75

$30.00 CHF 24.26

-2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.87 CHF 27.39

$34.06 CHF 27.54

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.62

$50.2 CHF 40.56

0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.36

$4.09 CHF 3.31

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$3.02 CHF 2.44

3.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 CHF 4.12

$4.98 CHF 4.02

2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.29

$2.75 CHF 2.22

3.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.09

$2.54 CHF 2.06

1.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CHF 1.33

$1.72 CHF 1.39

-4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.13

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 CHF 10.95

$13.58 CHF 10.98

-0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.11

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.70

$3.23 CHF 2.61

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.10

$5.02 CHF 4.06

-23.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 78.9

$107 CHF 86.6

-8.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 CHF 6.34

$7.81 CHF 6.31

0.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.47 CHF 3.62

$4.31 CHF 3.48

3.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 70.7

$86.9 CHF 70.2

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-2.23%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

1.02%

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

$39.0K CHF 31.5K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

-1.98%

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

$96.8 CHF 78.3

$258 CHF 209

-62.46%

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

$35.28 CHF 28.53

$36.31 CHF 29.36

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.62

$59.4 CHF 48.02

-2.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.8 CHF 58.8

$89.5 CHF 72.3

-18.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

Cinema Ticket

$18.82 CHF 15.22

$24.81 CHF 20.06

-24.14%

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

$3,442 CHF 2,783

$3,344 CHF 2,703

2.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 112

$138 CHF 111

0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 CHF 50.3

$61.7 CHF 49.90

0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 121

$147 CHF 119

1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 164

$200 CHF 162

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 CHF 1,383

$2,721 CHF 2,200

-37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CHF 1,600

$2,227 CHF 1,800

-11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,857 CHF 2,310

$5,054 CHF 4,086

-43.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,612 CHF 3,728

$3,797 CHF 3,070

21.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.1K CHF 13.0K

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

-41.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,875

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

-25.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,985 CHF 4,030

$8,287 CHF 6,700

-39.85%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,710 in St. Moritz and $2,721 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 66% 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: $148 in St. Moritz vs $147 in Zurich. Groceries flip the comparison at $668 vs $676, with St. Moritz cheaper for home cooking.

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 ($3,869 vs $4,270 including rent). St. Moritz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% 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: $1,710 in St. Moritz versus $2,721 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 10% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,442 in St. Moritz versus $3,344 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.