Cost of Living in Winterthur - Updated Prices & Insights

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $2,180 (excluding rent), and $4,154 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $5,431 (excluding rent), and $8,239 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$39.77 CHF 32.01

$31.08 CHF 25.01

$68.4 CHF 55

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 CHF 103

$104 CHF 83.3

$183 CHF 147

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.45 CHF 15.66

$18.24 CHF 14.68

$21.88 CHF 17.61

Cappuccino

$6.4 CHF 5.15

$5.43 CHF 4.37

$7.25 CHF 5.83

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

$5.04 CHF 4.06

$2.52 CHF 2.03

$6.3 CHF 5.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 CHF 3.58

$3.61 CHF 2.91

$6.02 CHF 4.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 CHF 6.78

$7.22 CHF 5.81

$12.03 CHF 9.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 CHF 4.88

$18.19 CHF 14.64

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.83

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$2.33 CHF 1.87

White Bread (500g)

$4.4 CHF 3.54

$2.91 CHF 2.34

$6.27 CHF 5.04

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.88 CHF 3.93

$2.2 CHF 1.77

$6.28 CHF 5.05

Eggs

$7.43 CHF 5.98

$6.39 CHF 5.14

$8.44 CHF 6.79

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.06 CHF 25

$23.98 CHF 19.3

$51 CHF 41.01

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.47 CHF 26.94

$21.93 CHF 17.65

$41.2 CHF 33.16

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$46.19 CHF 37.17

$41.4 CHF 33.32

$67.2 CHF 54.1

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 CHF 2.62

$2.13 CHF 1.71

$7.29 CHF 5.86

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.7

$1.61 CHF 1.3

$2.48 CHF 2

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.51

$1.38 CHF 1.11

$5.03 CHF 4.05

Tomato (1kg)

$8.02 CHF 6.46

$2.77 CHF 2.23

$9.93 CHF 7.99

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.88

$1.44 CHF 1.16

$3.61 CHF 2.9

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.86

$1.63 CHF 1.31

$4.96 CHF 4

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.07

$1.88 CHF 1.51

$2.63 CHF 2.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 CHF 0.84

$0.76 CHF 0.61

$1.89 CHF 1.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 CHF 9.14

$9.83 CHF 7.91

$13.5 CHF 10.87

Wine (Bottle)

$16.53 CHF 13.31

$10.42 CHF 8.38

$36.74 CHF 29.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CHF 1.64

$1.21 CHF 0.98

$4.86 CHF 3.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CHF 2.7

$1.24 CHF 1

$4.96 CHF 3.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.88 CHF 3.12

$3.65 CHF 2.93

$4.37 CHF 3.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 CHF 97.9

$102 CHF 82.3

$122 CHF 97.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 CHF 6.96

$7.41 CHF 5.96

$12.35 CHF 9.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.86 CHF 3.91

$3.78 CHF 3.04

$5.4 CHF 4.35

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.1 CHF 69.3

$61.5 CHF 49.48

$92.2 CHF 74.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.82

$2.2 CHF 1.77

$2.47 CHF 1.99

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

$40.8K CHF 32.9K

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

$46K CHF 37K

$42.8K CHF 34.4K

$61.1K CHF 49.2K

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

$251 CHF 202

$194 CHF 156

$317 CHF 255

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

$64.8 CHF 52.1

$23.05 CHF 18.55

$83.7 CHF 67.4

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 47.11

$48.45 CHF 38.99

$78.7 CHF 63.4

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CHF 91.8

$61.1 CHF 49.16

$183 CHF 147

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.38 CHF 34.91

Cinema Ticket

$28.62 CHF 23.03

$23.65 CHF 19.03

$37.33 CHF 30.05

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

$2,699 CHF 2,172

$2,491 CHF 2,005

$3,114 CHF 2,506

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K CHF 16.7K

$19.5K CHF 15.7K

$21.9K CHF 17.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$218 CHF 176

$136 CHF 110

$235 CHF 189

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$141 CHF 114

$59.3 CHF 47.71

$242 CHF 195

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$220 CHF 177

$97.9 CHF 78.8

$306 CHF 246

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$433 CHF 348

$161 CHF 129

$618 CHF 498

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 CHF 1,811

$1,841 CHF 1,481

$2,454 CHF 1,975

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CHF 1,359

$1,363 CHF 1,097

$2,836 CHF 2,282

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,551 CHF 2,858

$2,841 CHF 2,287

$6,862 CHF 5,523

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 CHF 2,118

$2,251 CHF 1,811

$3,626 CHF 2,918

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.3K CHF 18.8K

$16.4K CHF 13.2K

$37.1K CHF 29.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

$10.1K CHF 8,162

$27.2K CHF 21.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,402 CHF 5,957

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.4

3.25

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

Last update: November 30, 2025

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🇪🇺 Europe

Cost of Living in Winterthur - Frequently Asked Questions

Winterthur sits in a high-cost region but still offers value through compact size, efficient transit, and a safe, walkable center. The Cost of Living in Winterthur, Switzerland tends to track the broader Swiss standard, with housing and services that scale as you move between neighborhoods. For long stays, you may find more affordable options than in nearby Zurich while enjoying a similar quality of life. Neighborhoods around the old town or university areas balance walkability with access to cafés, coworking spaces, and parks. Short-term arrangements and monthly rentals can add flexibility for arrivals. Tip: map daily routes first to gauge travel time and noise levels when choosing a base.

Housing tends to cluster around a few core neighborhoods, with options from compact apartments to family flats, often via local listings or agents. Grocery shopping spans reliable supermarkets, farmers markets in season, and affordable lunch spots near campuses. Public transit is the daily workhorse, making car-free living very feasible; cycles and e-bikes are common for short trips. Co-working spaces and cafés with good Wi‑Fi support remote work, with quiet corners and meeting rooms available by day. For errands, predictable shop hours and seasonal markets help you plan weekly routes. That drives the Winterthur living cost you plan for when choosing a neighborhood. Tip: try weeklong stays in a couple of areas to test fit.

Winterthur offers a high quality of life with a compact city center, accessible nature, and a steady pace that suits remote work and weekend exploration. When budgeting, group costs into housing, transit, groceries, and leisure, then choose long-term rentals to stabilize rent and leverage Swiss health coverage when applicable. Practical savings come from cooking at home, shopping at farmers markets, and using seasonal discounts. Seasonality influences leisure – winter evenings invite cozy cafés and museums, while summer days open longer for hikes and bike routes. Neighborhood fit hinges on proximity to the old town, university areas, and reliable transit, plus a sense of community. Tip: build a simple monthly framework to track expenses across categories.