Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Brissago Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Brissago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,229 per month in Zurich vs $3,519 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,508 per month in Zurich vs $5,370 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,786 per month in Zurich vs $7,222 in Brissago, rent included.

Zurich costs about 20% more than Brissago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Brissago sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Brissago by 163%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.02 CHF 25.36

$28.31 CHF 23.15

9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 119

$107 CHF 87.8

35.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.79 CHF 17.00

$17.52 CHF 14.33

18.66%

Cappuccino

$6.71 CHF 5.48

$5.91 CHF 4.83

13.54%

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

$6.13 CHF 5.01

$4.93 CHF 4.03

24.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.33

$4.61 CHF 3.77

14.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.00 CHF 8.18

$8.52 CHF 6.97

17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CHF 7.07

$6.07 CHF 4.96

42.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.85

$2.15 CHF 1.76

5.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 CHF 2.79

$3.26 CHF 2.67

4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$4.28 CHF 3.50

-8.41%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 6.17

$6.97 CHF 5.70

8.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.54 CHF 24.16

$27.90 CHF 22.81

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.89 CHF 27.71

$35.31 CHF 28.87

-4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 41.02

$40.35 CHF 33.00

24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$3.50 CHF 2.86

18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.32

$2.14 CHF 1.75

32.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.47

$2.76 CHF 2.26

9.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.12

$6.95 CHF 5.68

-27.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.24

$2.22 CHF 1.82

23.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.18 CHF 1.78

5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 CHF 2.00

$2.53 CHF 2.07

-3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.36

$1.14 CHF 0.93

45.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 9.09

$11.22 CHF 9.18

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 CHF 11.25

$12.54 CHF 10.25

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.24

$1.89 CHF 1.55

44.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 CHF 2.71

$2.37 CHF 1.94

39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.84 CHF 3.96

$3.98 CHF 3.25

21.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 89.4

$98.2 CHF 80.3

11.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CHF 6.25

$7.85 CHF 6.42

-2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.36

$4.26 CHF 3.48

-3.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 71.4

$92.2 CHF 75.4

-5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.83

0.45%

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

$40.3K CHF 33.0K

$41.1K CHF 33.6K

-1.92%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.7K

$57.8K CHF 47.3K

-32.99%

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

$255 CHF 209

$377 CHF 309

-32.41%

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

$35.92 CHF 29.37

$59.8 CHF 48.86

-39.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 48.83

$58.8 CHF 48.06

1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 CHF 73.0

$86.7 CHF 70.9

2.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.5 CHF 41.29

Cinema Ticket

$24.36 CHF 19.92

$24.90 CHF 20.36

-2.17%

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

$3,397 CHF 2,778

$3,373 CHF 2,758

0.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.5K CHF 32.3K

$40.3K CHF 33.0K

-1.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 116

$153 CHF 125

-7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 49.60

$68.2 CHF 55.7

-11.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$172 CHF 141

-13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 CHF 165

$184 CHF 151

9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 CHF 2,206

$1,695 CHF 1,386

59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 CHF 1,805

$1,460 CHF 1,194

51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,893 CHF 4,001

$2,800 CHF 2,290

74.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,760 CHF 3,074

$2,465 CHF 2,015

52.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.8K CHF 21.9K

$14.5K CHF 11.9K

84.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

$13.7K CHF 11.2K

21.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,316 CHF 6,800

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.52

-17.06%

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

Last update for Zurich: July 21, 2026

Last update for Brissago: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,698 in Zurich versus $1,695 in Brissago. 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 $146 in Zurich versus $107 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $631 – making Brissago 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 Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,229 in Zurich, $3,519 in Brissago – roughly 20% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,343 per month in Zurich and $5,278 in Brissago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% more in Zurich, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $146 in Zurich and $107 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,229 in Zurich and $3,519 in Brissago. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Zurich has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,519 in Brissago to $4,229 in Zurich. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Brissago. 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.