Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Schaffhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Schaffhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,715 in Zurich versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,006 in Zurich versus $5,139 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,297 in Zurich versus $7,126 in Schaffhausen.

Living in Zurich is roughly 50% more expensive than in Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 242% above, Schaffhausen 129% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.39 CHF 29.69

$31.20 CHF 25.46

16.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$121 CHF 99.0

22.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.59 CHF 15.17

$18.87 CHF 15.40

-1.48%

Cappuccino

$7.14 CHF 5.83

$5.75 CHF 4.69

24.17%

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

$5.83 CHF 4.76

$5.47 CHF 4.47

6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 CHF 4.36

$4.99 CHF 4.07

7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.14

$8.73 CHF 7.13

14.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 CHF 7.09

$7.46 CHF 6.09

16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.23

$4.15 CHF 3.38

-4.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.28

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-7.80%

Eggs

$8.46 CHF 6.91

$7.84 CHF 6.40

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$28.35 CHF 23.14

-2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$32.11 CHF 26.20

-13.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.82

$43.79 CHF 35.74

39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$3.92 CHF 3.20

5.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$2.19 CHF 1.79

31.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$3.17 CHF 2.59

12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-15.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.20

$2.52 CHF 2.05

6.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.11

$2.46 CHF 2.00

5.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.09

$1.25 CHF 1.02

6.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.17

$11.23 CHF 9.17

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.24

$13.72 CHF 11.20

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CHF 2.27

$3.04 CHF 2.48

-8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.62

$3.97 CHF 3.24

-19.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.74 CHF 4.68

$3.95 CHF 3.22

45.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 90.0

$99.4 CHF 81.1

10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 CHF 7.00

$6.26 CHF 5.11

37.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.74

$3.81 CHF 3.11

20.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.6 CHF 74.7

$61.5 CHF 50.2

48.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.22 CHF 1.81

3.60%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-8.47%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-2.22%

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

$289 CHF 236

$228 CHF 186

27.14%

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

$39.21 CHF 32.00

$31.99 CHF 26.11

22.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.08

$64.0 CHF 52.2

-9.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 CHF 74.9

$112 CHF 91.1

-17.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 CHF 51.4

$46.98 CHF 38.34

34.04%

Cinema Ticket

$25.56 CHF 20.86

$23.97 CHF 19.56

6.63%

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

$3,721 CHF 3,037

$3,228 CHF 2,634

15.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

32.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 118

$170 CHF 138

-15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 48.47

$54.9 CHF 44.83

8.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$193 CHF 157

-11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 CHF 218

$157 CHF 128

70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 CHF 2,543

$1,362 CHF 1,112

128.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,989

$1,200 CHF 980

103.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,299 CHF 5,141

$2,710 CHF 2,212

132.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,288 CHF 3,499

$2,411 CHF 1,967

77.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

$8,369 CHF 6,830

230.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$8,438 CHF 6,886

94.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,393 CHF 6,849

$7,296 CHF 5,954

15.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

2.48

-16.53%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,117 in Zurich and $1,362 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $148 in Zurich vs $121 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $679 vs $651 per month, with Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Schaffhausen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Zurich, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,117 in Zurich versus $1,362 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Zurich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Schaffhausen – a meal for two runs $121 versus $148 in Zurich. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,151 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Schaffhausen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zurich and Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.