Living in Zurich: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In Zurich, a one-bedroom home costs about CHF 1,580 (≈ €1,660) a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in London, you need about CHF 3,380 (≈ €3,570) net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Example: the same life, elsewhere
A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Zurich, they would need about CHF 3,380 (≈ €3,570) net a month locally (−9%).
For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about CHF 5,830 (≈ €6,150) net a month in Zurich.
Calculated on 3 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.
Rent in Zurich
A one-bedroom home in Zurich costs about 26% more than the median of the 11 other cities tracked in the country.
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas | Outside sought-after areas, in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | CHF 1,160 | €1,220 |
| 1 bedroom | CHF 1,580 | €1,660 |
| 2 bedrooms | CHF 1,810 | €1,910 |
| 3-bedroom house | CHF 2,110 | €2,220 |
Monthly rent in CHF, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². FSO, 2024 structural survey: average net monthly rent by number of rooms, by canton, updated with the rent index (August 2026).
A month’s budget in Zurich, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in London, here is what each line would cost in Zurich.
| Item | London | Zurich | Zurich (CHF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | £2,550 | £1,420 | CHF 1,580 |
| Housing tax | £50 | £30 | CHF 30 |
| Electricity, water, gas | £100 | £100 | CHF 110 |
| Groceries | £200 | £340 | CHF 370 |
| Restaurants and outings | £110 | £180 | CHF 200 |
| Transport | £100 | £90 | CHF 100 |
| Health | £40 | £580 | CHF 640 |
| Phone and internet | £50 | £80 | CHF 90 |
| Sport | £60 | £70 | CHF 80 |
| Clothes | £60 | £80 | CHF 90 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | £40 | £50 | CHF 60 |
| Trips back to London | £0 | £20 | CHF 20 |
| Total per month | £3,350 | £3,040 | CHF 3,370 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in Zurich?
For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about CHF 3,380 (≈ €3,570) net a month.
How much is rent in Zurich?
About CHF 1,580 (≈ €1,660) a month for a one-bedroom home and CHF 1,810 for a two-bedroom home, according to FSO, 2024 structural survey.
Is it expensive to live in Zurich?
In London, a single person spends about £3,350 a month; with the same life in Zurich, it would be about £3,040 (−9%).