Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Zurich vs $2,973 in Olten, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,491 per month in Zurich vs $4,526 in Olten, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,712 per month in Zurich vs $6,078 in Olten, rent included.

Zurich costs about 44% more than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zurich and Olten sit above the global median – Zurich by 220%, Olten by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.98

$31.25 CHF 25.31

-1.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$103 CHF 83.2

43.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.78

$17.04 CHF 13.81

21.60%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.63

$5.51 CHF 4.46

25.95%

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

$6.04 CHF 4.89

$5.20 CHF 4.21

16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.25

$4.51 CHF 3.65

16.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.97

$7.27 CHF 5.89

35.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.90

$6.26 CHF 5.07

36.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$2.07 CHF 1.67

5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$3.42 CHF 2.77

-4.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.34

$4.08 CHF 3.30

0.98%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.88

$7.52 CHF 6.09

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.30

$21.94 CHF 17.77

36.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.59

$25.36 CHF 20.54

34.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.64

$40.38 CHF 32.70

24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.52 CHF 2.04

15.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.45

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.03

$5.04 CHF 4.08

-1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.23

$2.73 CHF 2.21

0.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.30 CHF 1.86

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$1.49 CHF 1.21

15.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.15

$11.01 CHF 8.92

2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 11.00

$13.29 CHF 10.76

2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.13

$2.07 CHF 1.67

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$2.43 CHF 1.97

32.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.07

$3.86 CHF 3.13

30.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.7

$98.2 CHF 79.6

8.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.33

$7.74 CHF 6.27

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.49

$4.21 CHF 3.41

2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.4

$62.7 CHF 50.8

38.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-0.02%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-0.40%

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

$258 CHF 209

$254 CHF 206

1.43%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.41

$33.62 CHF 27.24

8.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.11

$58.1 CHF 47.04

2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.5

$62.4 CHF 50.5

43.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.57

$18.77 CHF 15.21

166.81%

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.10

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-1.12%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,708

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.7K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-1.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 112

$139 CHF 113

-0.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.99

$60.7 CHF 49.15

1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$146 CHF 118

0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$198 CHF 160

1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,204

$1,256 CHF 1,017

116.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,804

$1,048 CHF 849

112.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,094

$1,956 CHF 1,585

158.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,076

$1,697 CHF 1,374

123.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.1K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

86.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,713

$4,205 CHF 3,406

97.06%

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 Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,256 in Olten. 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 97% 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 $103 in Olten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $571 – making Olten 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 44% more than Olten, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $4,460 in Olten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% more in Zurich, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Zurich and $103 in Olten. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,270 in Zurich and $2,973 in Olten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Olten costs $2,973 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 Olten. 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.