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: $3,573 in Thun versus $4,731 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,324 in Thun versus $7,187 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,074 in Thun versus $9,642 in Zurich.

Living in Thun costs roughly 24% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 160% above, Zurich 244% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.64 CHF 23.93

$37.35 CHF 30.16

-20.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 102

$149 CHF 120

-15.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.30 CHF 13.17

$18.46 CHF 14.91

-11.70%

Cappuccino

$6.70 CHF 5.41

$7.03 CHF 5.68

-4.69%

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

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$5.88 CHF 4.75

9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.05

$5.40 CHF 4.36

15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.23 CHF 7.46

$9.98 CHF 8.06

-7.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 CHF 6.70

$8.85 CHF 7.14

-6.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.16 CHF 1.74

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 CHF 2.43

$4.06 CHF 3.28

-25.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.74

$3.98 CHF 3.21

-14.57%

Eggs

$8.04 CHF 6.50

$8.69 CHF 7.02

-7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.49 CHF 20.58

$27.65 CHF 22.33

-7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.69 CHF 23.16

$27.77 CHF 22.42

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.02

$61.1 CHF 49.37

-35.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$4.08 CHF 3.29

-10.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.92 CHF 2.36

-19.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.40

$3.59 CHF 2.90

-17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 CHF 3.87

$4.94 CHF 3.99

-3.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 CHF 1.26

$2.62 CHF 2.11

-40.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.10

$1.29 CHF 1.04

5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.81 CHF 9.53

$10.92 CHF 8.82

8.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 CHF 10.14

$13.57 CHF 10.96

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.89 CHF 2.33

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CHF 2.36

$3.14 CHF 2.53

-7.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.39 CHF 3.54

$5.57 CHF 4.50

-21.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CHF 83.7

$107 CHF 86.5

-3.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 CHF 6.49

$8.13 CHF 6.57

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.60 CHF 3.72

$4.82 CHF 3.89

-4.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.6 CHF 69.9

$92.7 CHF 74.8

-6.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$2.32 CHF 1.88

3.02%

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

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

$40.2K CHF 32.5K

10.21%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

1.95%

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

$306 CHF 247

$290 CHF 234

5.61%

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

$53.9 CHF 43.55

$39.27 CHF 31.71

37.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CHF 52.6

$57.5 CHF 46.46

13.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 CHF 76.9

$91.0 CHF 73.5

4.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.55 CHF 37.59

$63.6 CHF 51.3

-26.75%

Cinema Ticket

$23.69 CHF 19.13

$25.00 CHF 20.19

-5.24%

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

$3,089 CHF 2,494

$3,759 CHF 3,036

-17.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-25.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 123

$143 CHF 115

6.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.9 CHF 67.0

$60.5 CHF 48.85

37.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 134

$167 CHF 135

-0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 163

$263 CHF 212

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 CHF 1,466

$3,126 CHF 2,524

-41.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CHF 1,221

$2,503 CHF 2,021

-39.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,362

$6,322 CHF 5,105

-53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,016

$4,166 CHF 3,364

-40.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$28.2K CHF 22.8K

-42.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$16.4K CHF 13.2K

-23.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,082 CHF 4,911

$8,301 CHF 6,703

-26.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

2.07

17.39%

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

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Last update for Zurich: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,816 in Thun and $3,126 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 36% 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: $126 in Thun vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $583 vs $681 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 32% 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 36% 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: $1,816 in Thun versus $3,126 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 3% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,089 in Thun versus $3,759 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 $3,573 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 32% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.