Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Crans-Montana Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Crans-Montana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,715 per month in Zurich vs $3,354 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,006 per month in Zurich vs $5,140 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,297 per month in Zurich vs $6,926 in Crans-Montana, rent included.

Zurich costs about 41% more than Crans-Montana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Crans-Montana sit above the global median – Zurich by 242%, Crans-Montana by 143%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.39 CHF 29.59

$18.81 CHF 15.30

93.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$105 CHF 85.1

41.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.59 CHF 15.11

$18.63 CHF 15.15

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$7.14 CHF 5.81

$3.76 CHF 3.06

89.89%

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

$5.83 CHF 4.74

$4.98 CHF 4.05

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 CHF 4.34

$4.29 CHF 3.49

24.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.11

$9.92 CHF 8.07

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 CHF 7.06

$9.85 CHF 8.01

-11.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.22

$3.41 CHF 2.77

16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.27

$3.31 CHF 2.69

21.45%

Eggs

$8.46 CHF 6.88

$8.02 CHF 6.52

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.49

$25.69 CHF 20.89

7.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.49

$29.82 CHF 24.25

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.64

$43.95 CHF 35.74

38.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$3.65 CHF 2.97

13.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$1.69 CHF 1.38

71.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.90

$2.80 CHF 2.27

27.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.91

$5.00 CHF 4.07

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$1.65 CHF 1.34

63.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.09 CHF 1.70

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.10

$2.19 CHF 1.78

18.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.08

$1.70 CHF 1.38

-21.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.14

$11.17 CHF 9.09

0.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.19

$12.52 CHF 10.18

9.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CHF 2.26

$3.39 CHF 2.75

-17.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.61

$3.49 CHF 2.84

-8.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.74 CHF 4.67

$4.29 CHF 3.48

33.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 89.7

$113 CHF 91.6

-2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 CHF 6.98

$7.74 CHF 6.29

10.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.72

$3.18 CHF 2.59

44.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.6 CHF 74.5

$65.4 CHF 53.1

40.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$2.41 CHF 1.96

-4.56%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$40.5K CHF 32.9K

1.14%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

$40.2K CHF 32.7K

-0.93%

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

$289 CHF 235

$290 CHF 236

-0.18%

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

$39.21 CHF 31.88

$37.84 CHF 30.77

3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.90

$57.6 CHF 46.81

0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 CHF 74.7

$91.3 CHF 74.2

0.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 CHF 51.2

$46.97 CHF 38.19

34.06%

Cinema Ticket

$25.56 CHF 20.78

$24.47 CHF 19.90

4.45%

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

$3,721 CHF 3,026

$2,433 CHF 1,978

52.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.0K CHF 35.8K

$35.6K CHF 29.0K

23.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$139 CHF 113

3.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 48.29

$80.1 CHF 65.1

-25.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$172 CHF 140

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 CHF 217

$194 CHF 157

37.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 CHF 2,534

$1,774 CHF 1,442

75.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,982

$1,553 CHF 1,263

56.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,299 CHF 5,122

$3,328 CHF 2,706

89.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,288 CHF 3,487

$2,846 CHF 2,314

50.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.6K CHF 22.5K

$14.6K CHF 11.9K

88.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$14.0K CHF 11.4K

17.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,393 CHF 6,824

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.98

4.55%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Last update for Crans-Montana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,117 in Zurich versus $1,774 in Crans-Montana. 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 $105 in Crans-Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $679 vs $613 – making Crans-Montana 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 Crans-Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 41% more than Crans-Montana, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,072 per month in Zurich and $5,031 in Crans-Montana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Crans-Montana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $105 in Crans-Montana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,715 in Zurich and $3,354 in Crans-Montana. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Crans-Montana costs $3,354 versus $4,715 in Zurich. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Crans-Montana. 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.