Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Wil Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Wil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,254 per month in Zurich vs $3,547 in Wil, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,409 per month in Zurich vs $5,442 in Wil, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,563 per month in Zurich vs $7,337 in Wil, rent included.

Zurich costs about 20% more than Wil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Wil sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Wil by 165%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.47

$30.84 CHF 24.32

0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$140 CHF 110

6.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.83 CHF 16.42

$17.32 CHF 13.66

20.27%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.29

$6.33 CHF 4.99

6.16%

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

$5.90 CHF 4.65

$5.75 CHF 4.53

2.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 CHF 4.22

$5.10 CHF 4.02

4.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.85 CHF 7.76

$8.58 CHF 6.77

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 CHF 6.95

$7.61 CHF 6.00

15.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.19 CHF 1.72

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.60

$3.85 CHF 3.03

-14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$3.66 CHF 2.89

12.57%

Eggs

$7.19 CHF 5.67

$7.95 CHF 6.27

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.88 CHF 23.56

$27.36 CHF 21.57

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$31.76 CHF 25.04

5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.65 CHF 39.14

$51.4 CHF 40.51

-3.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.18

$3.73 CHF 2.94

8.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$2.25 CHF 1.78

28.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.40

$2.57 CHF 2.02

18.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 CHF 4.13

$6.23 CHF 4.91

-15.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.57 CHF 2.03

10.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$2.27 CHF 1.79

4.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.68 CHF 2.11

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.34

$1.13 CHF 0.89

50.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.64

$10.88 CHF 8.58

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 CHF 11.87

$11.88 CHF 9.37

26.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.19 CHF 1.73

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$2.30 CHF 1.81

40.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CHF 3.80

$3.86 CHF 3.05

24.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 83.7

$100 CHF 79.2

5.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 5.95

$6.88 CHF 5.43

9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$4.29 CHF 3.38

-3.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$78.8 CHF 62.1

13.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.24 CHF 1.77

2.23%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

3.13%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

-3.30%

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

$259 CHF 204

$247 CHF 194

4.89%

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

$35.51 CHF 28.00

$58.2 CHF 45.90

-39.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 46.08

$52.3 CHF 41.25

11.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.8 CHF 70.0

$88.9 CHF 70.1

-0.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

Cinema Ticket

$25.07 CHF 19.77

$30.68 CHF 24.19

-18.29%

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

$3,470 CHF 2,736

$2,831 CHF 2,232

22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

$43.1K CHF 34.0K

-9.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

$145 CHF 115

-5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 CHF 49.13

$73.2 CHF 57.7

-14.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 117

$145 CHF 114

1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

$237 CHF 187

-14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$1,679 CHF 1,324

59.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CHF 1,738

$1,459 CHF 1,150

51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,902 CHF 3,865

$2,183 CHF 1,721

124.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,702 CHF 2,919

$2,423 CHF 1,910

52.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

82.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

$11.4K CHF 8,958

45.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,876

$4,589 CHF 3,618

90.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wil: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,686 in Zurich versus $1,679 in Wil. 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 90% 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 $149 in Zurich versus $140 in Wil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $651 – making Wil 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 Wil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,254 in Zurich, $3,547 in Wil – roughly 20% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,382 per month in Zurich and $5,320 in Wil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 6% less in Wil. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,470 per month in Zurich and $2,831 in Wil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,254 in Zurich and $3,547 in Wil. 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 $3,547 in Wil to $4,254 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 Wil. 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.