Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,254 in Zurich versus $3,974 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,409 in Zurich versus $5,958 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,563 in Zurich versus $7,942 in Dubendorf.

Living in Zurich is roughly 7% more expensive than Dubendorf, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 217% above, Dubendorf 197% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.47

$30.79 CHF 24.27

0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$150 CHF 119

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.83 CHF 16.42

$18.42 CHF 14.52

13.08%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.29

$6.38 CHF 5.03

5.33%

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

$5.90 CHF 4.65

$5.85 CHF 4.61

0.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 CHF 4.22

$5.40 CHF 4.25

-0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.85 CHF 7.76

$7.41 CHF 5.85

32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 CHF 6.95

$6.99 CHF 5.51

26.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.15 CHF 1.69

5.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.60

$3.26 CHF 2.57

0.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$4.08 CHF 3.22

0.98%

Eggs

$7.19 CHF 5.67

$7.26 CHF 5.72

-0.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.88 CHF 23.56

$29.29 CHF 23.09

2.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$31.91 CHF 25.16

5.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.65 CHF 39.14

$49.09 CHF 38.70

1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.18

$3.18 CHF 2.50

27.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$2.81 CHF 2.21

3.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.40

$3.09 CHF 2.43

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 CHF 4.13

$7.09 CHF 5.59

-26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.78 CHF 2.19

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$2.27 CHF 1.79

4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.55 CHF 2.01

-1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.34

$1.73 CHF 1.37

-1.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.64

$11.01 CHF 8.68

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 CHF 11.87

$15.50 CHF 12.22

-2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.24 CHF 1.76

16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$2.95 CHF 2.32

9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CHF 3.80

$7.71 CHF 6.08

-37.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 83.7

$123 CHF 97.1

-13.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 5.95

$6.87 CHF 5.42

9.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$4.25 CHF 3.35

-2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$79.7 CHF 62.9

11.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.31 CHF 1.82

-0.87%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.6K CHF 31.2K

3.73%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$40.2K CHF 31.7K

-2.09%

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

$259 CHF 204

$260 CHF 205

-0.73%

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

$35.51 CHF 28.00

$35.53 CHF 28.02

-0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 46.08

$52.7 CHF 41.56

10.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.8 CHF 70.0

$87.4 CHF 68.9

1.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

$55.8 CHF 43.96

-12.39%

Cinema Ticket

$25.07 CHF 19.77

$25.12 CHF 19.80

-0.20%

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

$3,470 CHF 2,736

$2,686 CHF 2,118

29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

$147 CHF 116

-6.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 CHF 49.13

$64.5 CHF 50.8

-3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 117

$147 CHF 116

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$1,855 CHF 1,462

44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CHF 1,738

$1,860 CHF 1,467

18.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,902 CHF 3,865

$2,681 CHF 2,114

82.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,702 CHF 2,919

$2,917 CHF 2,299

26.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

85.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

$10.0K CHF 7,885

64.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,876

$4,069 CHF 3,208

114.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

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

Last update for Zurich: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,686 in Zurich and $1,855 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 114% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $149 in Zurich vs $150 in Dubendorf. Groceries flip the comparison at $677 vs $667, with Dubendorf cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich and Dubendorf differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($4,254 vs $3,974 including rent). Dubendorf is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Zurich pays 114% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,686 in Zurich versus $1,855 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,254 per month in Zurich versus $3,974 in Dubendorf – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dubendorf runs roughly 16% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Dubendorf 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 Dubendorf 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 Dubendorf gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.