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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,264 per month in Zurich vs $3,553 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,405 per month in Zurich vs $5,342 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Zurich vs $7,131 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 164%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.45

$28.28 CHF 22.60

8.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$109 CHF 87.0

33.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.52 CHF 16.41

$16.98 CHF 13.57

20.85%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.59

$5.84 CHF 4.67

19.69%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.86

$4.95 CHF 3.96

22.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.22

$4.78 CHF 3.82

10.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.91 CHF 7.92

$8.35 CHF 6.67

18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 CHF 7.06

$6.33 CHF 5.06

39.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.79

$2.20 CHF 1.76

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-3.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.15

$4.14 CHF 3.31

-4.59%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.90

$7.09 CHF 5.66

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.07 CHF 24.03

$28.60 CHF 22.86

5.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.13 CHF 27.28

$35.43 CHF 28.32

-3.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.71

$41.68 CHF 33.31

22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.38

$3.40 CHF 2.72

24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.26

$2.17 CHF 1.73

30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.41

$2.88 CHF 2.30

4.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 CHF 4.21

$6.74 CHF 5.39

-21.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.25

$2.23 CHF 1.78

26.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.87

$2.19 CHF 1.75

6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.00

$2.42 CHF 1.94

3.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.37

$1.15 CHF 0.92

49.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.69

$11.42 CHF 9.12

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 CHF 11.99

$12.67 CHF 10.13

18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.17

$1.90 CHF 1.52

42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CHF 2.59

$2.31 CHF 1.85

40.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 CHF 4.04

$3.90 CHF 3.11

29.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 87.4

$100 CHF 80.3

8.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.30

$8.23 CHF 6.58

-4.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.43

$4.24 CHF 3.39

1.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 70.7

$93.9 CHF 75.1

-5.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.85

$2.20 CHF 1.76

5.45%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.9K

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

0.89%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.2K

$58.1K CHF 46.4K

-32.73%

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

$257 CHF 206

$366 CHF 292

-29.60%

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

$35.13 CHF 28.08

$59.7 CHF 47.75

-41.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.26

$57.7 CHF 46.14

2.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 71.2

$87.9 CHF 70.2

1.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.87

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.36

$24.89 CHF 19.90

-2.69%

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

$3,382 CHF 2,703

$3,384 CHF 2,705

-0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 31.1K

$40.1K CHF 32.0K

-2.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 111

$154 CHF 123

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.93

$67.8 CHF 54.2

-7.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 117

$173 CHF 138

-15.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 159

$186 CHF 149

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CHF 2,139

$1,725 CHF 1,379

55.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CHF 1,746

$1,482 CHF 1,185

47.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,057 CHF 4,042

$2,877 CHF 2,300

75.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,718 CHF 2,971

$2,508 CHF 2,005

48.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.5K CHF 21.2K

$17.8K CHF 14.2K

48.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.5K

$12.3K CHF 9,825

37.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,547 CHF 6,832

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Brissago: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,676 in Zurich versus $1,725 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 $109 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $685 vs $638 – 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: $4,264 in Zurich, $3,553 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 $6,396 per month in Zurich and $5,330 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 $109 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 $4,264 in Zurich and $3,553 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 $3,553 in Brissago to $4,264 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.