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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,715 per month in Zurich vs $3,439 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,006 per month in Zurich vs $5,269 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,297 per month in Zurich vs $7,099 in Brissago, rent included.

Zurich costs about 37% more than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zurich and Brissago sit above the global median – Zurich by 242%, Brissago by 149%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.39 CHF 29.59

$28.99 CHF 23.57

25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$125 CHF 102

18.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.59 CHF 15.11

$15.90 CHF 12.93

16.92%

Cappuccino

$7.14 CHF 5.81

$7.03 CHF 5.71

1.56%

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

$5.83 CHF 4.74

$6.48 CHF 5.27

-10.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 CHF 4.34

$7.16 CHF 5.83

-25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.11

$9.00 CHF 7.32

10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 CHF 7.06

$8.12 CHF 6.61

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.19 CHF 1.78

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.22

$3.12 CHF 2.53

26.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.27

$3.37 CHF 2.74

19.29%

Eggs

$8.46 CHF 6.88

$7.84 CHF 6.37

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.49

$25.38 CHF 20.63

8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.49

$29.91 CHF 24.32

-7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.64

$39.53 CHF 32.14

54.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$4.06 CHF 3.30

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$2.11 CHF 1.72

36.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.90

$2.71 CHF 2.20

31.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.91

$4.74 CHF 3.86

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$1.69 CHF 1.37

59.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.10 CHF 1.71

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.10

$2.34 CHF 1.90

10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.08

$1.36 CHF 1.11

-2.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.14

$11.49 CHF 9.34

-2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.19

$12.43 CHF 10.11

10.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CHF 2.26

$2.23 CHF 1.81

24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.61

$2.94 CHF 2.39

9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.74 CHF 4.67

$4.20 CHF 3.42

36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 89.7

$115 CHF 93.4

-3.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 CHF 6.98

$8.35 CHF 6.79

2.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.72

$4.64 CHF 3.77

-1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.6 CHF 74.5

$110 CHF 89.3

-16.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$2.40 CHF 1.95

-4.17%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

-5.71%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

-2.20%

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

$289 CHF 235

$284 CHF 231

1.75%

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

$39.21 CHF 31.88

$28.87 CHF 23.48

35.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.90

$57.1 CHF 46.46

0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 CHF 74.7

$80.3 CHF 65.3

14.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 CHF 51.2

$51.5 CHF 41.83

22.39%

Cinema Ticket

$25.56 CHF 20.78

$24.32 CHF 19.77

5.10%

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

$3,721 CHF 3,026

$3,193 CHF 2,596

16.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.0K CHF 35.8K

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

38.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$142 CHF 115

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 48.29

$62.0 CHF 50.4

-4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$162 CHF 132

4.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 CHF 217

$200 CHF 163

33.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 CHF 2,534

$1,599 CHF 1,300

94.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,982

$1,439 CHF 1,170

69.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,299 CHF 5,122

$3,039 CHF 2,471

107.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,288 CHF 3,487

$2,282 CHF 1,856

87.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.6K CHF 22.5K

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

48.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$11.4K CHF 9,245

44.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,393 CHF 6,824

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

2.46

-15.85%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Last update for Brissago: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,117 in Zurich versus $1,599 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 $148 in Zurich versus $125 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $679 vs $587 – 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: $4,715 in Zurich, $3,439 in Brissago – roughly 37% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,072 per month in Zurich and $5,158 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 16% 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 $148 in Zurich and $125 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 $4,715 in Zurich and $3,439 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 $3,439 in Brissago to $4,715 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.