Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,731 in Zurich versus $3,573 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,187 in Zurich versus $5,324 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,642 in Zurich versus $7,074 in Thun.

Living in Zurich is roughly 32% more expensive than in Thun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Zurich 244% above, Thun 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.35 CHF 30.16

$29.64 CHF 23.93

26.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 120

$126 CHF 102

17.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.46 CHF 14.91

$16.30 CHF 13.17

13.25%

Cappuccino

$7.03 CHF 5.68

$6.70 CHF 5.41

4.93%

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

$5.88 CHF 4.75

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-8.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.36

$6.26 CHF 5.05

-13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.06

$9.23 CHF 7.46

8.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.14

$8.29 CHF 6.70

6.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 CHF 3.28

$3.01 CHF 2.43

34.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 CHF 3.21

$3.40 CHF 2.74

17.06%

Eggs

$8.69 CHF 7.02

$8.04 CHF 6.50

8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.65 CHF 22.33

$25.49 CHF 20.58

8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.77 CHF 22.42

$28.69 CHF 23.16

-3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.37

$39.66 CHF 32.02

54.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.29

$3.65 CHF 2.95

11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.36

$2.35 CHF 1.90

24.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.90

$2.97 CHF 2.40

20.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 CHF 3.99

$4.79 CHF 3.87

3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.11

$1.56 CHF 1.26

67.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$2.07 CHF 1.68

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$2.33 CHF 1.88

11.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.04

$1.36 CHF 1.10

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.92 CHF 8.82

$11.81 CHF 9.53

-7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 CHF 10.96

$12.56 CHF 10.14

8.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CHF 2.33

$2.24 CHF 1.81

29.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CHF 2.53

$2.92 CHF 2.36

7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.57 CHF 4.50

$4.39 CHF 3.54

26.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.5

$104 CHF 83.7

3.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 CHF 6.57

$8.04 CHF 6.49

1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.82 CHF 3.89

$4.60 CHF 3.72

4.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$92.7 CHF 74.8

$86.6 CHF 69.9

7.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-2.93%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.5K

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

-9.27%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-1.91%

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

$290 CHF 234

$306 CHF 247

-5.31%

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

$39.27 CHF 31.71

$53.9 CHF 43.55

-27.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 46.46

$65.1 CHF 52.6

-11.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.0 CHF 73.5

$95.3 CHF 76.9

-4.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.6 CHF 51.3

$46.55 CHF 37.59

36.52%

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.19

$23.69 CHF 19.13

5.53%

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

$3,759 CHF 3,036

$3,089 CHF 2,494

21.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

34.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 115

$153 CHF 123

-6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 CHF 48.85

$82.9 CHF 67.0

-27.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 135

$166 CHF 134

0.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$263 CHF 212

$202 CHF 163

30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 CHF 2,524

$1,816 CHF 1,466

72.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 CHF 2,021

$1,512 CHF 1,221

65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,322 CHF 5,105

$2,925 CHF 2,362

116.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,166 CHF 3,364

$2,496 CHF 2,016

66.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K CHF 22.8K

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

72.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.2K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

29.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,301 CHF 6,703

$6,082 CHF 4,911

36.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

2.43

-14.81%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 1, 2026

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,126 in Zurich and $1,816 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 36% 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: $149 in Zurich vs $126 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $681 vs $583 per month, with Thun 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thun wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thun the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $3,126 in Zurich versus $1,816 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Thun runs roughly 3% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,759 in Zurich versus $3,089 in Thun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Thun 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 Thun delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,573 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Thun hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zurich and Thun 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 Thun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.