Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Altstätten

For one person, living is cheaper in Altstätten: $3,362 a month against $4,451 in Zurich, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

217

Cost of Living Index in Zurich
Learn more

Zurich Living Index
165

Cost of Living Index in Altstätten
Learn more

Altstätten Living Index

Jump to prices

Zurich

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,451

/mo nomad

Altstätten

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,362

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zurich and in Altstätten

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zurich and in Altstätten actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,451 per month in Zurich vs $3,362 in Altstätten, rent included.

Zurich $4,451
Altstätten $3,362

A couple spends around $6,817 per month in Zurich vs $5,134 in Altstätten, rent included.

Zurich $6,817
Altstätten $5,134

A family of three spends $9,184 per month in Zurich vs $6,905 in Altstätten, rent included.

Zurich $9,184
Altstätten $6,905

Zurich costs about 32% more than Altstätten, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zurich and Altstätten sit above the global median – Zurich by 230%, Altstätten by 149%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.71 CHF 28.59

$29.51 CHF 24.30

17.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 119

$118 CHF 97.2

22.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.69 CHF 14.57

$17.80 CHF 14.66

-0.62%

Cappuccino

$6.91 CHF 5.69

$5.94 CHF 4.89

16.33%

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

$5.86 CHF 4.83

$5.13 CHF 4.22

14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 CHF 4.24

$4.86 CHF 4.01

5.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.70 CHF 7.99

$9.25 CHF 7.62

4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 CHF 6.82

$7.32 CHF 6.03

13.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$2.19 CHF 1.80

0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.11

$3.56 CHF 2.93

6.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 3.03

Eggs

$8.54 CHF 7.03

$7.71 CHF 6.35

10.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.22 CHF 22.42

$25.63 CHF 21.11

6.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.67 CHF 22.79

$28.49 CHF 23.47

-2.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.7 CHF 50.8

$40.80 CHF 33.60

51.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.41

$3.60 CHF 2.96

15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.21

$2.03 CHF 1.67

32.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.91

$2.68 CHF 2.21

32.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.67

$4.75 CHF 3.91

-6.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.09

$1.84 CHF 1.52

38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$2.10 CHF 1.73

5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.07

$2.22 CHF 1.83

13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.02

$1.29 CHF 1.07

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.62 CHF 8.75

$10.72 CHF 8.83

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 CHF 11.39

$12.90 CHF 10.63

7.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CHF 2.19

$2.82 CHF 2.32

-5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.62

$3.11 CHF 2.56

2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.39 CHF 4.44

$4.63 CHF 3.81

16.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 87.2

$100 CHF 82.7

5.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.54

$7.47 CHF 6.15

6.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.50 CHF 3.71

$4.66 CHF 3.84

-3.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.4 CHF 73.6

$74.3 CHF 61.2

20.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.87

$2.24 CHF 1.84

1.79%

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

$39.0K CHF 32.1K

$40.5K CHF 33.4K

-3.77%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

-0.12%

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

$276 CHF 227

$277 CHF 228

-0.27%

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

$36.80 CHF 30.31

$32.44 CHF 26.72

13.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 46.10

$55.8 CHF 45.95

0.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 CHF 75.2

$91.5 CHF 75.4

-0.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.0 CHF 49.43

$44.93 CHF 37.01

33.56%

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.43

$22.65 CHF 18.66

9.54%

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

$3,505 CHF 2,887

$2,646 CHF 2,179

32.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.7K CHF 34.3K

$34.1K CHF 28.1K

22.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 115

$143 CHF 118

-2.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 CHF 48.04

$57.4 CHF 47.30

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 137

$149 CHF 123

11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$260 CHF 214

$185 CHF 152

40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,916 CHF 2,402

$1,668 CHF 1,374

74.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 CHF 1,901

$1,419 CHF 1,168

62.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,918 CHF 4,874

$2,868 CHF 2,362

106.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 CHF 3,370

$2,429 CHF 2,000

68.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.8K CHF 22.1K

$15.7K CHF 12.9K

70.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.4K

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

33.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,928 CHF 6,529

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

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

Last update for Zurich: October 11, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Zurich

$2.3K 51.9%

Altstätten

$1.4K 42.2% 38.5% $890

Groceries & Markets

Zurich

$671 15.1%

Altstätten

$590 17.5% 12.2% $82

Eating Out

Zurich

$523 11.7%

Altstätten

$462 13.7% 11.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zurich

$369 8.3%

Altstätten

$365 10.9% 1% $3.8

Clothing & Footwear

Zurich

$281 6.3%

Altstätten

$241 7.2% 14.2% $40

Getting Around

Zurich

$158 3.6%

Altstätten

$150 4.5% 5.2% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Zurich

$141 3.2%

Altstätten

$137 4.1% 2.9% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,916 in Zurich versus $1,668 in Altstätten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $144 in Zurich versus $118 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $671 vs $590 – making Altstätten the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Zurich

🇨🇭 Altstätten

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

Same time as Zurich

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

443,037

11,145

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Zurich Altstätten 75 km

From you

Zurich
Altstätten

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 32%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,676 per month in Zurich and $5,043 in Altstätten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,451 in Zurich and $3,362 in Altstätten. That's a gap of about 32%.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,451 in Zurich and $3,362 in Altstätten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Altstätten. 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.