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: $4,270 in Zurich versus $3,866 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,491 in Zurich versus $5,884 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,712 in Zurich versus $7,901 in Dubendorf.

Living in Zurich is roughly 10% more expensive than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 220% above, Dubendorf 189% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.93

$31.26 CHF 25.27

-1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$145 CHF 117

1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.75

$18.61 CHF 15.04

11.34%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.61

$6.17 CHF 4.99

12.48%

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

$6.04 CHF 4.88

$5.79 CHF 4.68

4.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.24

$5.18 CHF 4.19

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.95

$7.44 CHF 6.01

32.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.88

$7.17 CHF 5.79

18.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.87

$7.49 CHF 6.05

-3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.26

$29.48 CHF 23.84

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.54

$31.92 CHF 25.81

6.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.56

$50.4 CHF 40.73

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.22 CHF 2.60

27.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.82 CHF 2.28

3.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.44

$3.14 CHF 2.54

-3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$7.28 CHF 5.88

-31.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.33 CHF 1.88

0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.55 CHF 2.06

-0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$1.71 CHF 1.38

0.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.13

$11.22 CHF 9.07

0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 10.98

$13.26 CHF 10.72

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.23 CHF 1.81

17.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$2.98 CHF 2.41

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.06

$7.76 CHF 6.27

-35.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.6

$124 CHF 100

-13.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$6.58 CHF 5.32

18.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.48

$4.24 CHF 3.43

1.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.2

$79.3 CHF 64.1

9.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.27 CHF 1.83

-1.32%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

-3.61%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-0.52%

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

$258 CHF 209

$260 CHF 210

-0.91%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.36

$35.31 CHF 28.55

2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.02

$52.2 CHF 42.19

13.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.3

$86.9 CHF 70.3

2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

$55.7 CHF 45.04

-10.11%

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.06

$24.42 CHF 19.74

1.60%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,703

$2,732 CHF 2,209

22.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$146 CHF 118

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.90

$66.0 CHF 53.3

-6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$146 CHF 118

0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$198 CHF 160

0.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,200

$1,882 CHF 1,521

44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,800

$1,830 CHF 1,479

21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,086

$2,683 CHF 2,169

88.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,070

$2,936 CHF 2,373

29.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

73.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

29.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,700

$3,977 CHF 3,215

108.39%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,721 in Zurich and $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 108% 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: $147 in Zurich vs $145 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $676 vs $670 per month, with Dubendorf 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 Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich and Dubendorf differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($4,270 vs $3,866 including rent). Dubendorf is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 108% higher in Zurich, 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: $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,270 per month in Zurich versus $3,866 in Dubendorf – a 10% 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 10% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.