Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Solothurn Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Solothurn

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,715 per month in Zurich vs $2,801 in Solothurn, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,006 per month in Zurich vs $4,577 in Solothurn, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,297 per month in Zurich vs $6,353 in Solothurn, rent included.

Zurich costs about 68% more than Solothurn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Zurich and Solothurn sit above the global median – Zurich by 242%, Solothurn by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.39 CHF 29.69

$30.41 CHF 24.82

19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$149 CHF 122

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.59 CHF 15.17

$18.46 CHF 15.06

0.70%

Cappuccino

$7.14 CHF 5.83

$6.68 CHF 5.45

6.89%

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

$5.83 CHF 4.76

$5.63 CHF 4.60

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 CHF 4.36

$5.36 CHF 4.37

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.14

$6.92 CHF 5.65

44.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 CHF 7.09

$6.23 CHF 5.08

39.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$2.23 CHF 1.82

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.23

$3.82 CHF 3.12

3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.28

$3.53 CHF 2.88

13.88%

Eggs

$8.46 CHF 6.91

$8.83 CHF 7.20

-4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$22.83 CHF 18.63

21.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$26.51 CHF 21.64

4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.82

$61.7 CHF 50.3

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$2.96 CHF 2.41

40.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$1.45 CHF 1.18

99.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$3.52 CHF 2.87

1.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$4.22 CHF 3.45

13.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.20

$1.67 CHF 1.36

61.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$1.78 CHF 1.45

23.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.11

$1.63 CHF 1.33

58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.09

$1.00 CHF 0.81

33.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.17

$11.32 CHF 9.24

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.24

$13.32 CHF 10.87

3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CHF 2.27

$2.89 CHF 2.36

-3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.62

$3.27 CHF 2.67

-1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.74 CHF 4.68

$4.85 CHF 3.96

18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 90.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 CHF 7.00

$8.46 CHF 6.91

1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.74

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-3.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.6 CHF 74.7

$92.5 CHF 75.5

-0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.36 CHF 1.93

-2.54%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

$31.4K CHF 25.6K

30.32%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

$36.2K CHF 29.5K

10.20%

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

$289 CHF 236

$98.0 CHF 80.0

195.11%

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

$39.21 CHF 32.00

$30.80 CHF 25.13

27.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.08

$58.5 CHF 47.73

-1.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 CHF 74.9

$91.9 CHF 75.0

-0.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 CHF 51.4

$17.25 CHF 14.08

265.04%

Cinema Ticket

$25.56 CHF 20.86

$18.52 CHF 15.11

38.01%

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

$3,721 CHF 3,037

$3,692 CHF 3,013

0.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

$19.4K CHF 15.9K

126.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 118

$143 CHF 117

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 48.47

$43.91 CHF 35.84

35.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$171 CHF 139

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 CHF 218

$258 CHF 210

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 CHF 2,543

$1,201 CHF 980

159.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,989

$1,072 CHF 875

127.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,299 CHF 5,141

$1,861 CHF 1,519

238.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,288 CHF 3,499

$1,815 CHF 1,482

136.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

$9,687 CHF 7,906

185.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$5,010 CHF 4,089

227.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,393 CHF 6,849

$6,908 CHF 5,637

21.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

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

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,117 in Zurich versus $1,201 in Solothurn. 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 21% 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 $148 in Zurich versus $149 in Solothurn. Groceries tell a different story – $679 in Zurich vs $629 in Solothurn – so Solothurn 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 Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,715 in Zurich, $2,801 in Solothurn – roughly 68% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,072 per month in Zurich and $4,202 in Solothurn. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $148 in Zurich and $149 in Solothurn. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Zurich, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,715 in Zurich and $2,801 in Solothurn. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Zurich has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,801 in Solothurn to $4,715 in Zurich. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Solothurn. 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.