Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Frauenfeld Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Frauenfeld

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Zurich vs $3,115 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,491 per month in Zurich vs $5,042 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,712 per month in Zurich vs $6,969 in Frauenfeld, rent included.

Zurich costs about 37% more than Frauenfeld, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Frauenfeld sit above the global median – Zurich by 220%, Frauenfeld by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.93

$27.23 CHF 22.02

13.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$141 CHF 114

4.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.75

$16.16 CHF 13.07

28.22%

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

$5.00 CHF 4.04

20.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.24

$4.36 CHF 3.52

20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.95

$6.24 CHF 5.04

57.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.88

$5.63 CHF 4.55

51.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$1.93 CHF 1.56

12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$3.78 CHF 3.06

-14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$3.15 CHF 2.55

30.79%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.87

$7.69 CHF 6.22

-5.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.26

$27.44 CHF 22.19

9.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.54

$29.48 CHF 23.84

15.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.56

$51.7 CHF 41.79

-2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.47 CHF 2.80

17.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.30 CHF 1.86

26.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.44

$2.49 CHF 2.01

21.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$2.39 CHF 1.93

108.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.50 CHF 2.02

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.50 CHF 2.02

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$1.82 CHF 1.47

39.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$1.21 CHF 0.98

42.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.13

$11.22 CHF 9.07

0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 10.98

$14.45 CHF 11.69

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.49 CHF 2.01

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$1.89 CHF 1.53

70.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.06

$4.06 CHF 3.28

23.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.6

$98.5 CHF 79.7

8.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$8.36 CHF 6.76

-6.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.48

$4.28 CHF 3.46

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.2

$87.7 CHF 70.9

-0.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.22 CHF 1.79

0.90%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$40.5K CHF 32.7K

-1.86%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$42.3K CHF 34.2K

-6.00%

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

$258 CHF 209

$249 CHF 201

3.49%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.36

$44.01 CHF 35.58

-17.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.02

$57.6 CHF 46.54

3.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.3

$103 CHF 83.4

-13.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.06

$19.92 CHF 16.10

24.55%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,703

$2,851 CHF 2,305

17.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

$42.3K CHF 34.2K

-7.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$132 CHF 107

4.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.90

$56.1 CHF 45.33

10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$123 CHF 99.1

20.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$139 CHF 112

43.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,200

$1,492 CHF 1,207

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,800

$1,182 CHF 956

88.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,086

$2,695 CHF 2,179

87.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,070

$2,403 CHF 1,943

58.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

$15.9K CHF 12.8K

71.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$12.4K CHF 9,995

32.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,700

$6,158 CHF 4,979

34.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.35

-11.06%

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

Last update for Zurich: July 13, 2026

Last update for Frauenfeld: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,492 in Frauenfeld. 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 35% 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 $147 in Zurich versus $141 in Frauenfeld. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $618 – making Frauenfeld 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 Frauenfeld: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,406 per month in Zurich and $4,673 in Frauenfeld. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Frauenfeld, 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 $4,270 in Zurich and $3,115 in Frauenfeld. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Frauenfeld. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,270 in Zurich and $3,115 in Frauenfeld. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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 Frauenfeld. 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.