Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Sion Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Sion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,264 in Zurich versus $2,796 in Sion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,405 in Zurich versus $4,737 in Sion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,546 in Zurich versus $6,677 in Sion.

Living in Zurich is roughly 52% more expensive than Sion, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 217% above, Sion 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.29

$30.55 CHF 24.26

0.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$125 CHF 99.2

16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.52 CHF 16.29

$17.92 CHF 14.23

14.51%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.55

$4.59 CHF 3.64

52.29%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.82

$5.19 CHF 4.12

17.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.19

$4.24 CHF 3.37

24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.91 CHF 7.87

$7.24 CHF 5.75

36.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 CHF 7.01

$7.46 CHF 5.92

18.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.84 CHF 1.46

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.62

$3.76 CHF 2.98

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$4.98 CHF 3.95

-20.68%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.86

$5.94 CHF 4.71

24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.07 CHF 23.87

$27.57 CHF 21.89

9.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.13 CHF 27.10

$23.40 CHF 18.58

45.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.44

$44.48 CHF 35.32

14.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.42 CHF 2.72

23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.25

$2.60 CHF 2.06

8.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.39

$3.56 CHF 2.82

-15.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 CHF 4.18

$6.16 CHF 4.89

-14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.24

$3.15 CHF 2.50

-10.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.84 CHF 2.25

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.64 CHF 2.09

-4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.36

$1.26 CHF 1.00

36.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.63

$10.91 CHF 8.66

-0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 CHF 11.90

$13.50 CHF 10.72

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$1.81 CHF 1.44

49.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CHF 2.57

$1.92 CHF 1.53

68.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 CHF 4.02

$5.15 CHF 4.09

-1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.8

$187 CHF 148

-41.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.25

$6.11 CHF 4.85

28.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$4.21 CHF 3.34

2.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 70.2

$48.88 CHF 38.81

80.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$2.22 CHF 1.76

4.50%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.7K

$40.5K CHF 32.2K

1.47%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.0K

$38.1K CHF 30.2K

2.64%

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

$257 CHF 204

$304 CHF 241

-15.25%

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

$35.13 CHF 27.89

$36.72 CHF 29.15

-4.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 46.94

$58.6 CHF 46.48

0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 70.7

$141 CHF 112

-37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.60

$55.0 CHF 43.66

-9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.22

$23.09 CHF 18.33

4.89%

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

$3,382 CHF 2,685

$968 CHF 768

249.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$34.6K CHF 27.5K

12.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$134 CHF 107

3.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.60

$60.8 CHF 48.25

2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$160 CHF 127

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 157

$226 CHF 179

-12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CHF 2,125

$870 CHF 691

207.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CHF 1,735

$736 CHF 585

196.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,057 CHF 4,015

$1,696 CHF 1,346

198.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,718 CHF 2,951

$1,937 CHF 1,538

91.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.5K CHF 21.0K

$7,679 CHF 6,096

244.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.4K

$5,670 CHF 4,501

197.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,547 CHF 6,786

$6,053 CHF 4,805

41.21%

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 Sion: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,676 in Zurich and $870 in Sion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 41% 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: $146 in Zurich vs $125 in Sion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $685 vs $591 per month, with Sion 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 Sion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sion wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sion the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Zurich pays 41% more on average, 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: $2,676 in Zurich versus $870 in Sion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Zurich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sion – a meal for two runs $125 versus $146 in Zurich. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Sion 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 Sion delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sion hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zurich and Sion 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 Sion gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.