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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,270 per month in Zurich vs $3,507 in Wil, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,491 per month in Zurich vs $5,387 in Wil, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,712 per month in Zurich vs $7,266 in Wil, rent included.

Zurich costs about 22% more than Wil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Wil sit above the global median – Zurich by 220%, Wil by 163%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.98

$30.94 CHF 25.06

-0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$141 CHF 114

4.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.78

$17.01 CHF 13.78

21.81%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.63

$6.27 CHF 5.08

10.69%

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

$6.04 CHF 4.89

$5.69 CHF 4.61

6.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.25

$5.37 CHF 4.35

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.97

$8.75 CHF 7.09

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.90

$7.58 CHF 6.14

12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$3.67 CHF 2.97

-11.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.34

$3.68 CHF 2.98

11.96%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.88

$7.93 CHF 6.42

-8.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.30

$27.62 CHF 22.37

8.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.59

$32.08 CHF 25.98

6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.64

$50.9 CHF 41.24

-1.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.75 CHF 3.04

9.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.33 CHF 1.89

24.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.45

$2.58 CHF 2.09

17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.03

$6.48 CHF 5.25

-23.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.23

$2.48 CHF 2.01

10.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.69 CHF 2.18

-5.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$1.09 CHF 0.88

57.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.15

$10.68 CHF 8.65

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 11.00

$18.16 CHF 14.71

-25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.13

$2.18 CHF 1.77

20.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$2.30 CHF 1.87

40.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.07

$3.88 CHF 3.14

29.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.7

$98.6 CHF 79.9

8.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.33

$6.71 CHF 5.44

16.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.49

$4.19 CHF 3.39

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.4

$80.0 CHF 64.8

8.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.23 CHF 1.80

0.45%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

$41.0K CHF 33.2K

-3.14%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$41.6K CHF 33.7K

-4.43%

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

$258 CHF 209

$252 CHF 204

2.47%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.41

$59.6 CHF 48.30

-39.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.11

$52.4 CHF 42.46

13.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.5

$88.3 CHF 71.6

1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.57

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.10

$30.87 CHF 25.01

-19.63%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,708

$2,852 CHF 2,310

17.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.7K

$43.2K CHF 35.0K

-9.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 112

$148 CHF 120

-6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.99

$73.9 CHF 59.8

-16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$148 CHF 120

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$235 CHF 190

-14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,204

$1,688 CHF 1,367

61.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,804

$1,475 CHF 1,194

51.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,094

$2,130 CHF 1,725

137.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,076

$2,497 CHF 2,022

52.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.1K

$17.3K CHF 14.0K

57.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$10.8K CHF 8,760

51.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,713

$4,357 CHF 3,529

90.20%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Wil: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,688 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 $147 in Zurich versus $141 in Wil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $665 – 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: $4,270 in Zurich, $3,507 in Wil – roughly 22% apart. Zurich costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,406 per month in Zurich and $5,261 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 9% less in Wil. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,344 per month in Zurich and $2,852 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 $4,270 in Zurich and $3,507 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 $3,507 in Wil to $4,270 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.