Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Lachen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Lachen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,715 in Zurich versus $3,393 in Lachen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,006 in Zurich versus $5,242 in Lachen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,297 in Zurich versus $7,091 in Lachen.

Living in Zurich is roughly 39% more expensive than in Lachen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 242% above, Lachen 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.39 CHF 29.69

$30.30 CHF 24.73

20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$124 CHF 101

19.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.59 CHF 15.17

$16.36 CHF 13.35

13.63%

Cappuccino

$7.14 CHF 5.83

$6.57 CHF 5.36

8.68%

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

$5.83 CHF 4.76

$5.55 CHF 4.53

5.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 CHF 4.36

$5.14 CHF 4.20

3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.14

$8.51 CHF 6.94

17.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 CHF 7.09

$9.60 CHF 7.83

-9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$2.18 CHF 1.78

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.23

$3.42 CHF 2.79

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.28

$4.45 CHF 3.63

-9.66%

Eggs

$8.46 CHF 6.91

$7.71 CHF 6.29

9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$26.76 CHF 21.84

3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$26.93 CHF 21.98

2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.82

$41.68 CHF 34.02

46.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$3.57 CHF 2.91

16.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$2.17 CHF 1.77

33.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$2.66 CHF 2.17

34.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$4.73 CHF 3.86

1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.20

$2.00 CHF 1.63

34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.20 CHF 1.80

-0.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.11

$2.49 CHF 2.03

4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.09

$1.43 CHF 1.17

-6.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.17

$11.06 CHF 9.03

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.24

$13.73 CHF 11.21

0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CHF 2.27

$2.22 CHF 1.82

25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.62

$2.80 CHF 2.28

14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.74 CHF 4.68

$4.71 CHF 3.84

21.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 90.0

$89.5 CHF 73.0

23.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 CHF 7.00

$7.66 CHF 6.25

12.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.74

$4.86 CHF 3.97

-5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.6 CHF 74.7

$87.4 CHF 71.3

4.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.26 CHF 1.84

1.77%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

$44.4K CHF 36.3K

-7.85%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

$40.6K CHF 33.1K

-1.81%

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

$289 CHF 236

$243 CHF 198

19.27%

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

$39.21 CHF 32.00

$32.92 CHF 26.86

19.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.08

$67.5 CHF 55.1

-14.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 CHF 74.9

$93.3 CHF 76.1

-1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 CHF 51.4

$48.15 CHF 39.29

30.78%

Cinema Ticket

$25.56 CHF 20.86

$22.20 CHF 18.11

15.14%

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

$3,721 CHF 3,037

$2,904 CHF 2,370

28.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

$44.6K CHF 36.4K

-1.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 118

-0.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 48.47

$90.3 CHF 73.7

-34.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$147 CHF 120

15.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 CHF 218

$176 CHF 144

51.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 CHF 2,543

$1,729 CHF 1,411

80.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,989

$1,454 CHF 1,187

67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,299 CHF 5,141

$3,087 CHF 2,519

104.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,288 CHF 3,499

$2,558 CHF 2,088

67.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

$16.1K CHF 13.1K

72.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

33.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,393 CHF 6,849

$9,801 CHF 7,998

-14.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.72

20.35%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lachen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,117 in Zurich and $1,729 in Lachen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in Zurich vs $124 in Lachen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $679 vs $591 per month, with Lachen 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 Lachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lachen wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lachen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Lachen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,117 in Zurich versus $1,729 in Lachen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lachen runs roughly 23% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,721 in Zurich versus $2,904 in Lachen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Lachen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lachen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,393 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lachen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zurich and Lachen 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 Lachen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.