Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Glarus Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Glarus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Zurich vs $3,371 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,491 per month in Zurich vs $5,198 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,712 per month in Zurich vs $7,024 in Glarus, rent included.

Zurich costs about 27% more than Glarus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Glarus sit above the global median – Zurich by 220%, Glarus by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.93

$30.97 CHF 25.04

-0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$141 CHF 114

4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.75

$15.91 CHF 12.87

30.23%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.61

$5.79 CHF 4.68

19.86%

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

$6.04 CHF 4.88

$5.42 CHF 4.38

11.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.24

$4.25 CHF 3.44

23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.95

$7.35 CHF 5.94

33.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.88

$7.33 CHF 5.93

16.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$1.95 CHF 1.58

11.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$2.85 CHF 2.30

14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$2.21 CHF 1.78

86.43%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.87

$7.98 CHF 6.45

-9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.26

$30.67 CHF 24.80

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.54

$35.89 CHF 29.02

-5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.56

$51.3 CHF 41.51

-2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.79 CHF 3.06

7.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.31 CHF 1.87

25.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.44

$2.87 CHF 2.32

5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$6.16 CHF 4.98

-19.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.38 CHF 1.93

15.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.47 CHF 2.00

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.58 CHF 2.08

-1.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$1.22 CHF 0.98

40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.13

$11.02 CHF 8.91

2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 10.98

$11.25 CHF 9.10

20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.42 CHF 1.96

8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$3.48 CHF 2.81

-7.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.06

$6.01 CHF 4.86

-16.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.6

$112 CHF 90.2

-4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$7.92 CHF 6.40

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.48

$4.13 CHF 3.34

4.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.2

$87.1 CHF 70.4

-0.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.14 CHF 1.73

4.67%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$35.3K CHF 28.5K

12.57%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$38.7K CHF 31.3K

2.72%

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

$258 CHF 209

$224 CHF 181

14.95%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.36

$74.4 CHF 60.1

-51.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.02

$48.66 CHF 39.34

22.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.3

$91.4 CHF 73.9

-2.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

$43.27 CHF 34.98

15.74%

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.06

$20.61 CHF 16.66

20.38%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,703

$2,895 CHF 2,340

15.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

$42.3K CHF 34.2K

-7.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$139 CHF 113

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.90

$75.7 CHF 61.2

-18.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$134 CHF 108

10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$159 CHF 129

25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,200

$1,668 CHF 1,348

63.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,800

$1,319 CHF 1,067

68.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,086

$2,892 CHF 2,338

74.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,070

$2,374 CHF 1,919

59.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

$14.1K CHF 11.4K

92.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$10.7K CHF 8,687

52.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,700

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 Glarus: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,668 in Glarus. 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 $147 in Zurich versus $141 in Glarus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $668 – making Glarus 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 Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 27%, 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 $5,056 in Glarus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 4% less in Glarus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,344 per month in Zurich and $2,895 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,270 in Zurich and $3,371 in Glarus. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Glarus – 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 Glarus. 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.