Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Chur

For one person, living is cheaper in Chur: $3,283 a month against $4,270 in Zurich, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

207

Cost of Living Index in Zurich
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Zurich Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Chur
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Chur Living Index

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Zurich

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,270

/mo nomad

Chur

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,283

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zurich and in Chur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zurich and in Chur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Zurich vs $3,283 in Chur, rent included.

Zurich $4,270
Chur $3,283

A couple spends around $6,666 per month in Zurich vs $5,109 in Chur, rent included.

Zurich $6,666
Chur $5,109

A family of three spends $9,061 per month in Zurich vs $6,934 in Chur, rent included.

Zurich $9,061
Chur $6,934

Zurich costs about 30% more than Chur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zurich and Chur sit above the global median – Zurich by 214%, Chur by 141%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.89 CHF 28.11

$29.44 CHF 24.42

15.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 121

$111 CHF 91.9

31.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.10 CHF 15.02

$15.99 CHF 13.27

13.20%

Cappuccino

$6.88 CHF 5.71

$5.67 CHF 4.70

21.34%

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

$5.73 CHF 4.75

$5.51 CHF 4.57

3.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.25 CHF 4.36

$5.08 CHF 4.21

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.97

$8.69 CHF 7.21

10.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.37 CHF 6.94

$8.68 CHF 7.20

-3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.75

$2.15 CHF 1.79

-1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 CHF 3.28

$3.42 CHF 2.84

15.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.16

$4.22 CHF 3.50

-9.72%

Eggs

$8.40 CHF 6.97

$7.59 CHF 6.29

10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.05 CHF 22.44

$26.51 CHF 21.99

2.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.85 CHF 23.93

$26.64 CHF 22.10

8.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$59.4 CHF 49.27

$39.08 CHF 32.42

52.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 CHF 3.42

$3.42 CHF 2.84

20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.37

$2.13 CHF 1.76

34.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CHF 2.91

$2.68 CHF 2.22

30.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 CHF 3.78

$4.58 CHF 3.80

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.11

$1.89 CHF 1.57

34.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.92

$2.18 CHF 1.81

5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CHF 2.05

$2.36 CHF 1.96

4.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.07

$1.36 CHF 1.13

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 9.16

$10.94 CHF 9.08

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CHF 11.61

$12.75 CHF 10.58

9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CHF 2.39

$2.38 CHF 1.97

21.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.64

$3.40 CHF 2.82

-6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.44 CHF 4.51

$5.47 CHF 4.54

-0.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 86.7

$184 CHF 153

-43.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 CHF 6.75

$7.46 CHF 6.19

9.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.56 CHF 3.79

$4.94 CHF 4.10

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.8 CHF 74.5

$88.7 CHF 73.6

1.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.93

$2.22 CHF 1.84

4.50%

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

$38.9K CHF 32.2K

$39.1K CHF 32.4K

-0.51%

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

$39.0K CHF 32.4K

$38.5K CHF 31.9K

1.36%

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

$282 CHF 234

$232 CHF 193

21.59%

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

$39.00 CHF 32.35

$31.60 CHF 26.22

23.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 CHF 45.65

$53.8 CHF 44.64

2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.6 CHF 70.2

$78.3 CHF 64.9

8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.7 CHF 51.2

$33.63 CHF 27.90

83.44%

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 20.17

$23.22 CHF 19.26

4.69%

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

$3,444 CHF 2,857

$2,413 CHF 2,001

42.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.6K CHF 34.5K

$44.9K CHF 37.3K

-7.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 114

$91.1 CHF 75.6

51.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 CHF 45.64

$48.03 CHF 39.84

14.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 CHF 132

$120 CHF 99.5

32.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$249 CHF 207

$169 CHF 140

47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,387

$1,715 CHF 1,422

67.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 CHF 1,777

$1,379 CHF 1,144

55.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,559 CHF 4,611

$3,015 CHF 2,501

84.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,003 CHF 3,321

$2,550 CHF 2,116

56.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K CHF 23.4K

$7,109 CHF 5,897

296.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 14.0K

$5,446 CHF 4,518

210.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,230 CHF 6,827

$8,497 CHF 7,049

-3.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

1.72

21.51%

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

Last update for Zurich: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chur: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Zurich

$2.1K 50.2%

Chur

$1.4K 42% 35.7% $764

Groceries & Markets

Zurich

$674 15.8%

Chur

$576 17.6% 14.5% $98

Eating Out

Zurich

$517 12.1%

Chur

$455 13.9% 12% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zurich

$376 8.8%

Chur

$318 9.7% 15.6% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Zurich

$270 6.3%

Chur

$193 5.9% 28.8% $78

Getting Around

Zurich

$157 3.7%

Chur

$238 7.3% 51.5% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Zurich

$133 3.1%

Chur

$125 3.8% 6.4% $8.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,878 in Zurich versus $1,715 in Chur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Chur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $146 in Zurich versus $111 in Chur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $674 vs $576 – making Chur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Zurich

🇨🇭 Chur

🕒 Local time

21:06 9:06 PM

Same time as Zurich

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

443,037

37,082

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Zurich Chur 94 km

From you

Zurich
Chur

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,270 in Zurich, $3,283 in Chur – Chur comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,406 per month in Zurich and $4,924 in Chur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chur, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,715 there versus $2,878 in Zurich.

Kindergarten costs $3,444 per month in Zurich and $2,413 in Chur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Zurich, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,270 in Zurich and $3,283 in Chur. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Chur – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.