Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Affoltern am Albis Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Affoltern am Albis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,264 per month in Zurich vs $3,566 in Affoltern am Albis, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,405 per month in Zurich vs $5,591 in Affoltern am Albis, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Zurich vs $7,616 in Affoltern am Albis, rent included.

Zurich costs about 20% more than Affoltern am Albis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zurich and Affoltern am Albis sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Affoltern am Albis by 165%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.29

$31.12 CHF 24.70

-1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$163 CHF 130

-10.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.52 CHF 16.29

$18.71 CHF 14.86

9.67%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.55

$6.95 CHF 5.52

0.58%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.82

$5.60 CHF 4.44

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.19

$5.05 CHF 4.01

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.91 CHF 7.87

$9.80 CHF 7.78

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 CHF 7.01

$7.59 CHF 6.03

16.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.62

$3.82 CHF 3.03

-13.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$5.08 CHF 4.03

-22.24%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.86

$8.04 CHF 6.39

-8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.07 CHF 23.87

$28.85 CHF 22.90

4.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.13 CHF 27.10

$36.02 CHF 28.60

-5.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.44

$44.61 CHF 35.41

14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.91 CHF 3.10

8.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.25

$2.63 CHF 2.09

7.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.39

$3.72 CHF 2.95

-19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 CHF 4.18

$7.11 CHF 5.64

-25.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.24

$3.15 CHF 2.50

-10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.62 CHF 2.08

-4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.36

$1.56 CHF 1.24

10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.63

$10.62 CHF 8.43

2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 CHF 11.90

$13.57 CHF 10.77

10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$3.75 CHF 2.98

-27.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CHF 2.57

$3.10 CHF 2.46

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 CHF 4.02

$3.84 CHF 3.05

31.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.8

$98.2 CHF 78.0

11.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.25

$8.75 CHF 6.95

-9.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$5.48 CHF 4.35

-21.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 70.2

$85.3 CHF 67.7

3.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.78

3.57%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.7K

$40.0K CHF 31.7K

2.96%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.0K

$45.2K CHF 35.9K

-13.60%

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

$257 CHF 204

$303 CHF 241

-15.05%

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

$35.13 CHF 27.89

$53.2 CHF 42.26

-34.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 46.94

$58.8 CHF 46.69

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 70.7

$86.6 CHF 68.7

2.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.60

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.22

$23.19 CHF 18.41

4.44%

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

$3,382 CHF 2,685

$3,088 CHF 2,452

9.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$34.2K CHF 27.1K

13.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$109 CHF 86.5

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.60

$53.5 CHF 42.43

16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$156 CHF 124

-6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 157

$187 CHF 148

6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CHF 2,125

$1,703 CHF 1,352

57.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CHF 1,735

$1,444 CHF 1,146

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,057 CHF 4,015

$2,846 CHF 2,259

77.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,718 CHF 2,951

$2,461 CHF 1,954

51.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.5K CHF 21.0K

$14.6K CHF 11.6K

81.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.4K

$11.2K CHF 8,923

49.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,547 CHF 6,786

$8,486 CHF 6,737

0.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

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

Last update for Zurich: June 7, 2026

Last update for Affoltern am Albis: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,676 in Zurich versus $1,703 in Affoltern am Albis. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Zurich, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $146 in Zurich versus $163 in Affoltern am Albis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $685 vs $695 – making Zurich the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Zurich vs Affoltern am Albis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 20% more than Affoltern am Albis, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,396 per month in Zurich and $5,349 in Affoltern am Albis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Affoltern am Albis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Affoltern am Albis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,382 per month in Zurich and $3,088 in Affoltern am Albis. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,264 in Zurich and $3,566 in Affoltern am Albis. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Affoltern am Albis costs $3,566 versus $4,264 in Zurich. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Affoltern am Albis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.