Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,518 in Thun versus $4,270 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,320 in Thun versus $6,491 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,122 in Thun versus $8,712 in Zurich.

Living in Thun costs roughly 18% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 163% above, Zurich 220% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.19 CHF 22.83

$30.84 CHF 24.98

-8.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 98.6

$147 CHF 119

-17.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.95 CHF 13.73

$20.72 CHF 16.78

-18.19%

Cappuccino

$6.01 CHF 4.87

$6.94 CHF 5.63

-13.40%

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

$4.73 CHF 3.83

$6.04 CHF 4.89

-21.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.86

$5.24 CHF 4.25

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.64

$9.83 CHF 7.97

-16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 CHF 6.32

$8.52 CHF 6.90

-8.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.18 CHF 1.77

-1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$3.25 CHF 2.63

1.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 CHF 3.32

$4.12 CHF 3.34

-0.49%

Eggs

$7.16 CHF 5.80

$7.26 CHF 5.88

-1.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.07 CHF 21.93

$30.00 CHF 24.30

-9.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.91 CHF 23.42

$34.06 CHF 27.59

-15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.40 CHF 33.53

$50.2 CHF 40.64

-17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.88

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-13.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.91 CHF 2.35

-24.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$3.02 CHF 2.45

-9.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 CHF 5.22

$4.98 CHF 4.03

29.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.74

$2.75 CHF 2.23

-22.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$1.72 CHF 1.39

-33.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 9.15

$11.29 CHF 9.15

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CHF 9.87

$13.58 CHF 11.00

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.54

$2.63 CHF 2.13

-27.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$3.23 CHF 2.61

-27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.09

$5.02 CHF 4.07

-23.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 79.0

$107 CHF 86.7

-8.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$7.81 CHF 6.33

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 CHF 2.67

$4.31 CHF 3.49

-23.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.3 CHF 53.7

$86.9 CHF 70.4

-23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-4.46%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

0.68%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.7K

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

4.42%

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

$376 CHF 304

$258 CHF 209

45.70%

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

$59.0 CHF 47.76

$36.31 CHF 29.41

62.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 46.86

$59.4 CHF 48.11

-2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 70.7

$89.5 CHF 72.5

-2.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.57

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.60

$24.81 CHF 20.10

-2.46%

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

$3,051 CHF 2,472

$3,344 CHF 2,708

-8.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.1K

$39.1K CHF 31.7K

-11.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 124

$138 CHF 112

11.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 CHF 57.0

$61.7 CHF 49.99

14.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 141

$147 CHF 119

18.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$182 CHF 148

$200 CHF 162

-8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 CHF 1,388

$2,721 CHF 2,204

-37.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,203

$2,227 CHF 1,804

-33.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,873 CHF 2,327

$5,054 CHF 4,094

-43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 CHF 1,960

$3,797 CHF 3,076

-36.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,289 CHF 5,904

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

-55.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,799 CHF 4,697

$8,287 CHF 6,713

-30.03%

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 Thun: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,714 in Thun and $2,721 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 43% 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 Thun vs $147 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $676 per month, with Thun 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

Thun vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thun wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thun the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 43% 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: $1,714 in Thun 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 Thun 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 $3,051 in Thun 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 $2,000. Thun 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 Thun delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,518 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Thun hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Thun 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 Thun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.