Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,254 per month in Zurich vs $3,494 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,409 per month in Zurich vs $5,413 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,563 per month in Zurich vs $7,333 in Meilen, rent included.

Zurich costs about 22% more than Meilen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Meilen sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Meilen by 161%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.47

$30.27 CHF 23.86

2.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$147 CHF 116

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.83 CHF 16.42

$18.53 CHF 14.61

12.41%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.29

$6.47 CHF 5.10

3.86%

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

$5.90 CHF 4.65

$6.01 CHF 4.74

-1.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 CHF 4.22

$5.21 CHF 4.11

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.85 CHF 7.76

$8.55 CHF 6.74

15.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 CHF 6.95

$7.49 CHF 5.91

17.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.21 CHF 1.74

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.60

$3.26 CHF 2.57

0.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$4.13 CHF 3.26

-0.24%

Eggs

$7.19 CHF 5.67

$7.43 CHF 5.86

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.88 CHF 23.56

$29.80 CHF 23.49

0.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$33.74 CHF 26.60

-0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.65 CHF 39.14

$50.6 CHF 39.86

-1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.18

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$2.49 CHF 1.96

16.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.40

$3.03 CHF 2.39

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 CHF 4.13

$5.11 CHF 4.03

2.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.51 CHF 1.98

13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$2.32 CHF 1.83

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.47 CHF 1.94

1.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.34

$1.13 CHF 0.89

50.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.64

$11.06 CHF 8.72

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 CHF 11.87

$15.47 CHF 12.20

-2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.16 CHF 1.70

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$2.28 CHF 1.79

41.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CHF 3.80

$3.84 CHF 3.03

25.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 83.7

$98.8 CHF 77.9

7.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 5.95

$6.88 CHF 5.43

9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$4.30 CHF 3.39

-3.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$79.0 CHF 62.3

12.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.30 CHF 1.82

-0.43%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.9K CHF 31.4K

3.06%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$38.7K CHF 30.5K

1.54%

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

$259 CHF 204

$252 CHF 198

2.77%

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

$35.51 CHF 28.00

$58.5 CHF 46.11

-39.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 46.08

$59.7 CHF 47.09

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.8 CHF 70.0

$86.3 CHF 68.0

2.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

$63.8 CHF 50.3

-23.48%

Cinema Ticket

$25.07 CHF 19.77

$27.45 CHF 21.64

-8.67%

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

$3,470 CHF 2,736

$2,830 CHF 2,231

22.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

-1.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

$141 CHF 111

-3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 CHF 49.13

$61.6 CHF 48.53

1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 117

$147 CHF 116

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

$205 CHF 162

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$1,722 CHF 1,358

55.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CHF 1,738

$1,496 CHF 1,179

47.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,902 CHF 3,865

$2,885 CHF 2,274

69.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,702 CHF 2,919

$2,478 CHF 1,953

49.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

84.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

$10.1K CHF 7,928

63.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,876

$8,615 CHF 6,792

1.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

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

Last update for Zurich: May 31, 2026

Last update for Meilen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,686 in Zurich versus $1,722 in Meilen. 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 1% 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 $147 in Meilen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $666 – making Meilen 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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 22% more than Meilen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,382 per month in Zurich and $5,241 in Meilen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

Kindergarten costs $3,470 per month in Zurich and $2,830 in Meilen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,254 in Zurich and $3,494 in Meilen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Meilen costs $3,494 versus $4,254 in Zurich. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Meilen. 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.