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 $4,247 per month in Zurich vs $3,649 in Affoltern am Albis, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,522 per month in Zurich vs $5,542 in Affoltern am Albis, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,798 per month in Zurich vs $7,435 in Affoltern am Albis, rent included.

Zurich costs about 16% more than Affoltern am Albis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zurich and Affoltern am Albis sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Affoltern am Albis by 172%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.49 CHF 24.12

$30.98 CHF 24.50

-1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$163 CHF 129

-11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.33 CHF 16.87

$18.93 CHF 14.98

12.68%

Cappuccino

$6.65 CHF 5.26

$6.93 CHF 5.48

-4.04%

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

$6.13 CHF 4.85

$5.68 CHF 4.49

7.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 CHF 4.13

$5.02 CHF 3.97

3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 CHF 7.83

$9.57 CHF 7.57

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.64 CHF 6.83

$7.60 CHF 6.01

13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.72

$2.17 CHF 1.72

0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.57

$3.70 CHF 2.93

-12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.10

$5.19 CHF 4.10

-24.47%

Eggs

$7.27 CHF 5.75

$7.97 CHF 6.31

-8.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.79 CHF 23.57

$29.55 CHF 23.37

0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.09 CHF 26.97

$37.15 CHF 29.38

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.85

$43.57 CHF 34.46

15.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.28

$4.01 CHF 3.17

3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.31

$2.61 CHF 2.07

11.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.37

$3.79 CHF 2.99

-21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 CHF 4.04

$7.13 CHF 5.64

-28.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.19

$3.22 CHF 2.55

-13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-8.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$2.64 CHF 2.09

-6.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CHF 1.33

$1.57 CHF 1.24

7.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.71

$10.31 CHF 8.15

6.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 CHF 12.21

$19.12 CHF 15.13

-19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.06

$3.74 CHF 2.96

-30.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CHF 2.63

$3.06 CHF 2.42

8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.08 CHF 4.01

$3.87 CHF 3.06

31.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 84.6

$99.8 CHF 78.9

7.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.18

$8.61 CHF 6.81

-9.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.29 CHF 3.39

$5.53 CHF 4.38

-22.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.5 CHF 70.8

$85.9 CHF 68.0

4.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.12 CHF 1.68

8.49%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.6K

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

-2.46%

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

$39.1K CHF 30.9K

$45.5K CHF 36.0K

-14.13%

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

$258 CHF 204

$298 CHF 236

-13.35%

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

$35.85 CHF 28.36

$53.2 CHF 42.05

-32.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CHF 47.33

$60.5 CHF 47.87

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 70.7

$87.0 CHF 68.8

2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.22 CHF 38.93

Cinema Ticket

$24.46 CHF 19.35

$23.14 CHF 18.31

5.70%

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

$3,419 CHF 2,704

$3,139 CHF 2,483

8.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K CHF 31.4K

$34.3K CHF 27.2K

15.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 112

$108 CHF 85.7

30.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 CHF 49.04

$54.9 CHF 43.41

12.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$157 CHF 125

-4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 CHF 161

$190 CHF 150

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CHF 2,169

$1,713 CHF 1,355

60.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 CHF 1,721

$1,467 CHF 1,160

48.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,897 CHF 3,873

$2,876 CHF 2,275

70.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,823 CHF 3,024

$2,432 CHF 1,924

57.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$25.1K CHF 19.8K

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

75.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 12.6K

$11.9K CHF 9,422

34.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,594 CHF 6,798

$8,073 CHF 6,386

6.45%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Affoltern am Albis: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,743 in Zurich versus $1,713 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 6% 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 $145 in Zurich versus $163 in Affoltern am Albis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $679 vs $710 – 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 16% more than Affoltern am Albis, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,371 per month in Zurich and $5,473 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 7% less in Affoltern am Albis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,419 per month in Zurich and $3,139 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 $4,247 in Zurich and $3,649 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 $3,649 versus $4,247 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.