Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,461 in Yens versus $4,731 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,201 in Yens versus $7,187 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,941 in Yens versus $9,642 in Zurich.

Living in Yens costs roughly 27% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yens 152% above, Zurich 244% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.66 CHF 24.11

$37.35 CHF 30.37

-20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$149 CHF 121

-18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.06 CHF 13.06

$18.46 CHF 15.01

-13.00%

Cappuccino

$6.18 CHF 5.03

$7.03 CHF 5.72

-12.09%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.28

$5.88 CHF 4.78

-10.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 CHF 3.38

$5.40 CHF 4.39

-22.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.59 CHF 7.80

$9.98 CHF 8.11

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 CHF 6.45

$8.85 CHF 7.19

-10.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.83

$2.16 CHF 1.75

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CHF 2.52

$4.06 CHF 3.30

-23.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.65

$3.98 CHF 3.23

-18.09%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$8.69 CHF 7.06

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 CHF 20.46

$27.65 CHF 22.48

-8.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.17 CHF 23.72

$27.77 CHF 22.58

5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.85 CHF 33.21

$61.1 CHF 49.70

-33.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$4.08 CHF 3.32

-10.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.92 CHF 2.38

-24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$3.59 CHF 2.92

-29.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 CHF 3.73

$4.94 CHF 4.02

-7.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.52

$2.62 CHF 2.13

-28.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$2.30 CHF 1.87

-12.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.60 CHF 2.11

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.12

$1.29 CHF 1.05

6.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.96

$10.92 CHF 8.88

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CHF 10.10

$13.57 CHF 11.04

-8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.91

$2.89 CHF 2.35

-19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CHF 2.32

$3.14 CHF 2.55

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 CHF 3.52

$5.57 CHF 4.53

-22.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 82.7

$107 CHF 87.1

-5.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.34 CHF 6.78

$8.13 CHF 6.61

2.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.68 CHF 3.80

$4.82 CHF 3.92

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.7

$92.7 CHF 75.3

-4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

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

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

$40.2K CHF 32.7K

7.96%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.4K

$39.8K CHF 32.4K

3.25%

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

$277 CHF 225

$290 CHF 235

-4.40%

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

$29.46 CHF 23.95

$39.27 CHF 31.93

-24.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CHF 41.88

$57.5 CHF 46.78

-10.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.8 CHF 75.5

$91.0 CHF 74.0

1.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.39 CHF 37.71

$63.6 CHF 51.7

-27.00%

Cinema Ticket

$25.04 CHF 20.36

$25.00 CHF 20.33

0.16%

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

$3,081 CHF 2,505

$3,759 CHF 3,056

-18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

$42.8K CHF 34.8K

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$143 CHF 116

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 CHF 50.9

$60.5 CHF 49.18

3.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 116

$167 CHF 136

-14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 162

$263 CHF 214

-24.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CHF 1,466

$3,126 CHF 2,542

-42.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 CHF 1,237

$2,503 CHF 2,035

-39.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 CHF 2,348

$6,322 CHF 5,140

-54.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 CHF 2,028

$4,166 CHF 3,387

-40.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

$28.2K CHF 23.0K

-42.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

-23.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,301 CHF 6,749

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.07

-5.80%

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

Last update for Yens: September 1, 2026

Last update for Zurich: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,804 in Yens and $3,126 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Yens vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $581 vs $681 per month, with Yens 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

Yens vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yens wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yens the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,192 in Yens and $7,096 in Zurich to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,804 in Yens 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 Yens runs roughly 5% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,081 in Yens 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. Yens 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 Yens delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,461 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Yens hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Yens 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 Yens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.