Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Montreux Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Montreux

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,264 per month in Zurich vs $4,060 in Montreux, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,405 per month in Zurich vs $5,759 in Montreux, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Zurich vs $7,458 in Montreux, rent included.

Zurich costs about 5% more than Montreux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zurich and Montreux sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Montreux by 202%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.29

$30.37 CHF 24.11

0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$147 CHF 117

-1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.52 CHF 16.29

$19.19 CHF 15.23

6.93%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.55

$5.87 CHF 4.66

19.08%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.82

$5.36 CHF 4.25

13.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.19

$4.96 CHF 3.94

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.91 CHF 7.87

$9.95 CHF 7.90

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 CHF 7.01

$8.47 CHF 6.72

4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.15 CHF 1.70

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.62

$3.92 CHF 3.11

-16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$4.41 CHF 3.50

-10.43%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.86

$7.35 CHF 5.83

0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.07 CHF 23.87

$28.80 CHF 22.86

4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.13 CHF 27.10

$28.13 CHF 22.34

21.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.44

$43.47 CHF 34.51

17.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.98 CHF 3.16

6.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.25

$2.18 CHF 1.73

29.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.39

$2.85 CHF 2.26

5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 CHF 4.18

$6.34 CHF 5.03

-16.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.24

$3.12 CHF 2.47

-9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.49 CHF 1.98

0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.36

$1.57 CHF 1.25

9.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.63

$11.05 CHF 8.77

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 CHF 11.90

$13.61 CHF 10.81

10.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$2.04 CHF 1.62

32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CHF 2.57

$3.14 CHF 2.49

3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 CHF 4.02

$4.22 CHF 3.35

19.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.8

$91.6 CHF 72.7

19.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.25

$7.67 CHF 6.09

2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$4.08 CHF 3.24

5.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 70.2

$66.3 CHF 52.6

33.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$2.18 CHF 1.73

6.42%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.7K

$39.9K CHF 31.6K

3.20%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.0K

$41.4K CHF 32.9K

-5.69%

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

$257 CHF 204

$308 CHF 245

-16.46%

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

$35.13 CHF 27.89

$50.1 CHF 39.74

-29.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 46.94

$59.2 CHF 46.99

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 70.7

$78.9 CHF 62.6

12.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.60

$36.46 CHF 28.94

36.81%

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.22

$22.70 CHF 18.02

6.70%

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

$3,382 CHF 2,685

$2,546 CHF 2,022

32.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$34.0K CHF 27.0K

14.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$107 CHF 84.8

30.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.60

$69.2 CHF 55.0

-9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$174 CHF 139

-16.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 157

$185 CHF 147

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CHF 2,125

$2,230 CHF 1,770

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CHF 1,735

$1,986 CHF 1,577

10.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,057 CHF 4,015

$3,387 CHF 2,689

49.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,718 CHF 2,951

$2,723 CHF 2,162

36.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.5K CHF 21.0K

$16.7K CHF 13.3K

58.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.4K

$11.8K CHF 9,340

43.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,547 CHF 6,786

$8,482 CHF 6,734

0.77%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montreux: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,676 in Zurich versus $2,230 in Montreux. 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 $146 in Zurich versus $147 in Montreux. Groceries tell a different story – $685 in Zurich vs $628 in Montreux – so Montreux 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 Montreux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,396 per month in Zurich and $6,090 in Montreux. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $3,382 per month in Zurich and $2,546 in Montreux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Zurich, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$4,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,264 in Zurich and $4,060 in Montreux. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Montreux – 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 Montreux. 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.