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: $3,511 in Yens versus $4,254 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,311 in Yens versus $6,409 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,111 in Yens versus $8,563 in Zurich.

Living in Yens costs roughly 17% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yens 162% above, Zurich 217% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 24.16

$31.04 CHF 24.47

-1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

$149 CHF 118

-2.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 14.91

$20.83 CHF 16.42

-9.22%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.85

$6.72 CHF 5.29

-8.48%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.21

$5.90 CHF 4.65

-9.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.84

$5.35 CHF 4.22

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.92 CHF 7.82

$9.85 CHF 7.76

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$8.82 CHF 6.95

-15.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-3.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.03

$3.29 CHF 2.60

16.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.56

$4.12 CHF 3.25

9.71%

Eggs

$7.10 CHF 5.60

$7.19 CHF 5.67

-1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.46 CHF 20.86

$29.88 CHF 23.56

-11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.53 CHF 22.50

$33.59 CHF 26.48

-15.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.82 CHF 34.55

$49.65 CHF 39.14

-11.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$4.04 CHF 3.18

-9.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-27.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$3.05 CHF 2.40

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 CHF 5.18

$5.24 CHF 4.13

25.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.85 CHF 2.25

-14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$2.38 CHF 1.88

-2.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.50 CHF 1.97

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CHF 1.15

$1.70 CHF 1.34

-14.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

$10.96 CHF 8.64

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.85

$15.06 CHF 11.87

-8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CHF 1.59

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.46

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.11

$4.82 CHF 3.80

-18.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.7 CHF 77.8

$106 CHF 83.7

-6.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 CHF 6.38

$7.55 CHF 5.95

7.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.65

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-18.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.2 CHF 52.2

$89.1 CHF 70.2

-25.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.29 CHF 1.81

-4.37%

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

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-2.58%

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

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

5.78%

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

$304 CHF 240

$259 CHF 204

17.51%

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

$51.1 CHF 40.31

$35.51 CHF 28.00

43.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.49

$58.5 CHF 46.08

-1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 CHF 70.7

$88.8 CHF 70.0

0.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

Cinema Ticket

$23.13 CHF 18.23

$25.07 CHF 19.77

-7.74%

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

$2,554 CHF 2,014

$3,470 CHF 2,736

-26.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

-13.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 84.7

$137 CHF 108

-21.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 CHF 55.9

$62.3 CHF 49.13

13.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$148 CHF 117

2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$202 CHF 159

-9.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 CHF 1,349

$2,686 CHF 2,118

-36.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CHF 1,144

$2,205 CHF 1,738

-34.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 CHF 2,264

$4,902 CHF 3,865

-41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 CHF 1,913

$3,702 CHF 2,919

-34.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.7K CHF 12.4K

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

-39.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,331

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

-35.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,876

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 Yens: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zurich: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,711 in Yens and $2,686 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $145 in Yens vs $149 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $618 vs $677 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 21% 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 $5,266 in Yens and $6,382 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: $1,711 in Yens 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 Yens runs roughly 7% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,554 in Yens 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 $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 $3,511 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 21% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.