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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Zurich vs $3,552 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,491 per month in Zurich vs $5,476 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,712 per month in Zurich vs $7,400 in Meilen, rent included.

Zurich costs about 20% more than Meilen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Meilen sit above the global median – Zurich by 220%, Meilen by 166%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.93

$30.90 CHF 24.98

-0.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$149 CHF 120

-1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.75

$18.67 CHF 15.09

10.98%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.61

$6.29 CHF 5.08

10.33%

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

$6.04 CHF 4.88

$5.90 CHF 4.77

2.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.24

$5.15 CHF 4.16

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.95

$8.53 CHF 6.90

15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.88

$7.34 CHF 5.93

16.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$3.30 CHF 2.67

-1.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.87

$7.22 CHF 5.84

0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.26

$29.95 CHF 24.22

0.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.54

$32.90 CHF 26.60

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.56

$49.64 CHF 40.14

1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$4.21 CHF 3.40

-2.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.49 CHF 2.02

16.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.44

$3.16 CHF 2.56

-4.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$4.99 CHF 4.03

-0.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.61 CHF 2.11

5.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.28 CHF 1.84

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$1.11 CHF 0.89

54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.13

$11.06 CHF 8.94

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 10.98

$13.69 CHF 11.07

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.21 CHF 1.79

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$2.35 CHF 1.90

37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.06

$3.99 CHF 3.22

25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.6

$98.3 CHF 79.5

8.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$6.93 CHF 5.60

12.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.48

$4.31 CHF 3.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.2

$80.4 CHF 65.0

8.09%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

-1.54%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$39.4K CHF 31.8K

1.05%

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

$258 CHF 209

$258 CHF 208

0.05%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.36

$58.9 CHF 47.61

-38.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.02

$59.0 CHF 47.66

0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.3

$89.4 CHF 72.3

0.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

$63.5 CHF 51.3

-21.11%

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.06

$26.92 CHF 21.77

-7.84%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,703

$2,828 CHF 2,287

18.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

$38.6K CHF 31.2K

1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$139 CHF 112

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.90

$62.1 CHF 50.2

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$146 CHF 118

0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$199 CHF 161

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,200

$1,724 CHF 1,394

57.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,800

$1,466 CHF 1,185

51.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,086

$2,868 CHF 2,319

76.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,070

$2,461 CHF 1,990

54.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

$15.9K CHF 12.9K

71.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

29.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,700

$8,271 CHF 6,687

0.19%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Meilen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,724 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 0% 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 $149 in Meilen. Groceries tell a different story – $676 in Zurich vs $657 in Meilen – so Meilen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 20% 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 $6,406 per month in Zurich and $5,328 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 9% less in Meilen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,344 per month in Zurich and $2,828 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 $4,270 in Zurich and $3,552 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 $3,552 versus $4,270 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.