Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Buchs Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Buchs

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,254 in Zurich versus $3,289 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,409 in Zurich versus $4,945 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,563 in Zurich versus $6,600 in Buchs.

Living in Zurich is roughly 29% more expensive than Buchs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 217% above, Buchs 145% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.72

$29.59 CHF 23.57

4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 119

$105 CHF 83.6

42.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.83 CHF 16.59

$11.57 CHF 9.22

80.03%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.35

$3.44 CHF 2.74

95.35%

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

$5.90 CHF 4.70

$2.51 CHF 2.00

135.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 CHF 4.26

$1.98 CHF 1.58

170.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.85 CHF 7.84

$4.51 CHF 3.60

118.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 CHF 7.02

$5.24 CHF 4.17

68.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.80

$1.69 CHF 1.35

33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.62

$3.01 CHF 2.40

9.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.28

$4.04 CHF 3.21

1.98%

Eggs

$7.19 CHF 5.72

$4.83 CHF 3.85

48.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.88 CHF 23.80

$30.94 CHF 24.64

-3.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.75

$14.90 CHF 11.87

125.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.65 CHF 39.55

$50.6 CHF 40.33

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.22

$3.59 CHF 2.86

12.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.31

$2.11 CHF 1.68

37.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.43

$2.94 CHF 2.34

3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 CHF 4.18

$6.15 CHF 4.90

-14.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.27

$2.43 CHF 1.93

17.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.90

$2.41 CHF 1.92

-1.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.99

$2.70 CHF 2.15

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.36

$1.28 CHF 1.02

32.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.73

$11.08 CHF 8.82

-1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 CHF 11.99

$14.16 CHF 11.28

6.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.09

$2.42 CHF 1.93

8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.57

$3.43 CHF 2.73

-5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CHF 3.84

$2.49 CHF 1.99

93.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 84.5

$86.2 CHF 68.6

23.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 6.01

$7.91 CHF 6.30

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.30

$3.50 CHF 2.79

18.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.1 CHF 71.0

$89.3 CHF 71.1

-0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.83

$2.17 CHF 1.73

5.53%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.7K

$30.4K CHF 24.2K

35.27%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.3K

$42.2K CHF 33.6K

-6.79%

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

$259 CHF 206

$185 CHF 147

39.91%

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

$35.51 CHF 28.29

$42.94 CHF 34.20

-17.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 46.56

$55.4 CHF 44.14

5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.8 CHF 70.7

$150 CHF 119

-40.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.90

$17.44 CHF 13.89

180.05%

Cinema Ticket

$25.07 CHF 19.97

$14.57 CHF 11.61

72.07%

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

$3,470 CHF 2,764

$2,906 CHF 2,315

19.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 31.1K

$33.7K CHF 26.8K

15.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 109

0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 CHF 49.63

$78.5 CHF 62.6

-20.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 118

$134 CHF 106

10.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 161

$162 CHF 129

25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,686 CHF 2,140

$1,823 CHF 1,452

47.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CHF 1,756

$1,576 CHF 1,255

39.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,902 CHF 3,905

$2,784 CHF 2,218

76.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,702 CHF 2,949

$2,489 CHF 1,983

48.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,947

$9,109 CHF 7,256

-4.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

4.50%

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

Last update for Zurich: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buchs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,686 in Zurich and $1,823 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $149 in Zurich vs $105 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $677 vs $560 per month, with Buchs cheaper across the board.

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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich and Buchs differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($4,254 vs $3,289 including rent). Buchs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,686 in Zurich versus $1,823 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Buchs – a meal for two runs $105 versus $149 in Zurich. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,254 per month in Zurich versus $3,289 in Buchs – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Buchs is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Zurich and Buchs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Buchs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.