Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Embrach Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Embrach

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,254 per month in Zurich vs $3,441 in Embrach, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,409 per month in Zurich vs $5,370 in Embrach, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,563 per month in Zurich vs $7,299 in Embrach, rent included.

Zurich costs about 24% more than Embrach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Embrach sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Embrach by 157%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.47

$31.11 CHF 24.53

-0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$142 CHF 112

4.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.83 CHF 16.42

$18.56 CHF 14.63

12.23%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.29

$6.06 CHF 4.78

10.89%

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

$5.90 CHF 4.65

$5.15 CHF 4.06

14.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 CHF 4.22

$4.79 CHF 3.78

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.85 CHF 7.76

$8.30 CHF 6.54

18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 CHF 6.95

$7.50 CHF 5.91

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.23 CHF 1.76

1.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.60

$3.60 CHF 2.83

-8.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$4.06 CHF 3.20

1.48%

Eggs

$7.19 CHF 5.67

$7.36 CHF 5.80

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.88 CHF 23.56

$29.40 CHF 23.18

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$33.77 CHF 26.62

-0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.65 CHF 39.14

$48.58 CHF 38.30

2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.18

$3.77 CHF 2.97

7.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$2.35 CHF 1.85

23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.40

$2.94 CHF 2.32

3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 CHF 4.13

$6.23 CHF 4.92

-15.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.45 CHF 1.93

16.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$2.36 CHF 1.86

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.34

$1.38 CHF 1.09

23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.64

$11.06 CHF 8.72

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 CHF 11.87

$14.19 CHF 11.19

6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.46 CHF 1.94

6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$3.38 CHF 2.66

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CHF 3.80

$3.99 CHF 3.15

20.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 83.7

$99.5 CHF 78.4

6.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 5.95

$7.79 CHF 6.14

-3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$81.0 CHF 63.9

10.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.15 CHF 1.69

6.51%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$40.5K CHF 31.9K

1.45%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

-5.38%

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

$259 CHF 204

$262 CHF 207

-1.38%

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

$35.51 CHF 28.00

$49.08 CHF 38.69

-27.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 46.08

$59.7 CHF 47.06

-2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.8 CHF 70.0

$88.4 CHF 69.7

0.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

$74.5 CHF 58.7

-34.45%

Cinema Ticket

$25.07 CHF 19.77

$23.05 CHF 18.17

8.76%

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

$3,470 CHF 2,736

$2,866 CHF 2,259

21.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

$34.8K CHF 27.4K

12.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 CHF 49.13

$67.3 CHF 53.0

-7.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 117

$150 CHF 119

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

$187 CHF 147

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$1,669 CHF 1,316

61.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CHF 1,738

$1,442 CHF 1,137

52.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,902 CHF 3,865

$2,861 CHF 2,256

71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,702 CHF 2,919

$2,501 CHF 1,972

48.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

$13.8K CHF 10.9K

89.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

$10.1K CHF 7,949

63.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,876

$7,107 CHF 5,603

22.73%

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 Embrach: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,686 in Zurich versus $1,669 in Embrach. 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 23% higher in Zurich, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $149 in Zurich versus $142 in Embrach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $669 – making Embrach 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 Embrach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,254 in Zurich, $3,441 in Embrach – roughly 24% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,382 per month in Zurich and $5,162 in Embrach. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,254 in Zurich and $3,441 in Embrach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Embrach. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,254 in Zurich and $3,441 in Embrach. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Zurich has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,441 in Embrach to $4,254 in Zurich. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Embrach. 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.