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: $4,347 in Zurich versus $3,393 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,523 in Zurich versus $4,946 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,699 in Zurich versus $6,499 in Buchs.

Living in Zurich is roughly 28% more expensive than Buchs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 224% above, Buchs 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.22 CHF 23.69

$29.66 CHF 23.25

1.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 116

$108 CHF 84.5

37.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.17 CHF 16.59

$11.50 CHF 9.02

84.09%

Cappuccino

$6.97 CHF 5.47

$3.57 CHF 2.80

95.24%

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

$5.78 CHF 4.53

$2.47 CHF 1.94

134.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.24

$2.08 CHF 1.63

159.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.03 CHF 7.87

$4.69 CHF 3.68

113.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.58 CHF 6.72

$5.23 CHF 4.10

64.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.68

$1.74 CHF 1.37

22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 CHF 2.60

$3.14 CHF 2.46

5.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 CHF 3.19

Eggs

$7.46 CHF 5.85

$4.89 CHF 3.83

52.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.49 CHF 23.12

$30.23 CHF 23.70

-2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.63 CHF 26.37

$14.82 CHF 11.62

126.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.90 CHF 39.12

$51.8 CHF 40.60

-3.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.16

$3.73 CHF 2.93

7.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.22

$2.07 CHF 1.62

36.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.35

$2.98 CHF 2.33

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CHF 4.09

$6.21 CHF 4.87

-15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.19

$2.38 CHF 1.87

17.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CHF 1.79

$2.45 CHF 1.92

-6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 1.99

$2.56 CHF 2.01

-0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CHF 1.30

$1.23 CHF 0.97

34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 8.77

$11.21 CHF 8.79

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 CHF 11.90

$13.76 CHF 10.79

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.04

$2.43 CHF 1.91

7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CHF 2.64

$3.35 CHF 2.62

0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 CHF 3.93

$2.44 CHF 1.91

105.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 86.1

$87.4 CHF 68.5

25.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 CHF 5.96

$8.19 CHF 6.42

-7.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.33

$3.37 CHF 2.64

26.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 69.3

$88.5 CHF 69.4

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.74

$2.17 CHF 1.70

2.30%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

$30.8K CHF 24.2K

29.42%

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

$39.3K CHF 30.8K

$42.3K CHF 33.1K

-7.14%

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

$254 CHF 199

$185 CHF 145

37.23%

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

$35.48 CHF 27.81

$42.34 CHF 33.20

-16.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 45.78

$56.5 CHF 44.31

3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.7 CHF 71.1

$147 CHF 116

-38.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.80 CHF 39.05

$17.39 CHF 13.63

186.37%

Cinema Ticket

$24.62 CHF 19.30

$14.99 CHF 11.75

64.24%

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

$3,356 CHF 2,631

$2,868 CHF 2,249

17.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.5K

$33.8K CHF 26.5K

15.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 108

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 48.37

$75.5 CHF 59.2

-18.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$134 CHF 105

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 161

$162 CHF 127

26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,780 CHF 2,180

$1,839 CHF 1,442

51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,746

$1,597 CHF 1,252

39.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,989 CHF 3,911

$2,761 CHF 2,165

80.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,800 CHF 2,979

$2,427 CHF 1,903

56.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$25.3K CHF 19.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 12.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,622 CHF 6,760

$9,225 CHF 7,233

-6.54%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Buchs: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,780 in Zurich and $1,839 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 7% 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 $108 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $675 vs $562 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 28% in total monthly costs ($4,347 vs $3,393 including rent). Buchs is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Buchs earns 7% 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: $2,780 in Zurich versus $1,839 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 $108 versus $149 in Zurich. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,347 per month in Zurich versus $3,393 in Buchs – a 28% 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 28% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.