Cost Of Living For a Student in Zurich 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: CHF
Average monthly spending for students in Zurich
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Zurich?
Students in Zurich spend around 4,100 CHF per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 640 CHF or as high as 46,000 CHF. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Zurich
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 19,000 CHF | 38,000 CHF | 51,000 CHF |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 760 CHF | 1,100 CHF | 3,000 CHF |
1-bedroom apartment
| 1,200 CHF | 1,900 CHF | 4,700 CHF |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1,600 CHF | 2,400 CHF | 6,400 CHF |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 160,000 CHF | 240,000 CHF | 480,000 CHF |
| $180,000 | $270,000 | $540,000 |
1-bedroom apartment
| 200,000 CHF | 330,000 CHF | 1.2M CHF |
2-bedroom apartment
| 300,000 CHF | 910,000 CHF | 1.8M CHF |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 780 CHF | 980 CHF | 1,300 CHF |
Double Bed
| 540 CHF | 800 CHF | 1,000 CHF |
Single Bed
Living Room
| 940 CHF | 1,200 CHF | 4,200 CHF |
Dining Table
Sofa or Couch
| 540 CHF | 730 CHF | 1,600 CHF |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 540 CHF | 810 CHF | 1,600 CHF |
Fridge or Freezer
| 490 CHF | 750 CHF | 1,000 CHF |
Washing Machine
| 590 CHF | 850 CHF | 1,500 CHF |
Stove or Cooker
Mobile Phone
| 670 CHF | 810 CHF | 1,200 CHF |
Laptop or Computer
| 750 CHF | 920 CHF | 1,700 CHF |
How do students spend their money in Zurich?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost22%
22% of total expenses on average (17% to 28%)
| LOW | $170 150 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $1,100 990 CHF |
| HIGH | $12,000 11,000 CHF |
| Per Month |
Students in Zurich typically spend from 17% to 28% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 22% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 990 CHF with expenditure ranging from 150 CHF to 11,000 CHF. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities5%
5% of total expenses on average (3% to 9%)
| LOW | $26 23 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $160 150 CHF |
| HIGH | $1,800 1,600 CHF |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Zurich ranges from 3% to 9% of total expenses with 5% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 150 CHF with 23 CHF and 1,600 CHF being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel6%
6% of total expenses on average (5% to 12%)
| LOW | $48 43 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $310 270 CHF |
| HIGH | $3,400 3,100 CHF |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 43 CHF to 3,100 CHF in a month on commuting with 270 CHF being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 6% of total spending on average but can go as low as 5% or as high as 12%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost21%
21% of total expenses on average (15% to 25%)
| LOW | $130 120 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $860 770 CHF |
| HIGH | $9,600 8,500 CHF |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Zurich is 770 CHF. The cost of groceries can range between 120 CHF to 8,500 CHF. Students spend on average about 21% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 15% and 25% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare7%
7% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $36 32 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $230 200 CHF |
| HIGH | $2,600 2,300 CHF |
| Per Month |
Students in Zurich allocate 4% to 10% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 7%. The range of medical expenses range from 32 CHF to 2,300 CHF with 200 CHF being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping4%
4% of total expenses on average (3% to 8%)
| LOW | $34 30 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $220 190 CHF |
| HIGH | $2,400 2,100 CHF |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 30 CHF to 2,100 CHF with 190 CHF being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 3% to 8% of total expenses with an average of 4% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling19%
19% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $130 110 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $820 730 CHF |
| HIGH | $9,100 8,100 CHF |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 19% of the monthly expenditure of students with 12% and 24% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 730 CHF per month with 110 CHF being the minimum spent amount and 8,100 CHF being the maximum.
Other Expenses16%
16% of total expenses on average (10% to 22%)
| LOW | $110 94 CHF |
| AVERAGE | $680 600 CHF |
| HIGH | $7,600 6,700 CHF |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Zurich
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Zurich?
Around 85% of surveyed students think that living in Zurich is affordable with proper budgeting while 15% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Financial Literacy in
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy80%
We asked student guardians and parents in Zurich whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 20% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 80% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 10% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 90% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance10%
Easily manages finances90%
Low-cost alternatives in Zurich
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options65%
Few low-cost options35%
Based on the survey, 65% of the students living in Zurich have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 35% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes85%
No15%
Based on the survey, 15% of the students living in Zurich said that they don't have an emergency fund while 85% said that they do.
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Zurich
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Zurich
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 760 CHF | 1,100 CHF | 3,000 CHF |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,200 CHF | 1,900 CHF | 4,700 CHF |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,600 CHF | 2,400 CHF | 6,400 CHF |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,000 CHF | 3,300 CHF | 8,900 CHF |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,700 CHF | 9,300 CHF | 19,000 CHF |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 3,100 CHF | 4,600 CHF | 13,000 CHF |
House monthly rent cost
| 3,800 CHF | 9,400 CHF | 19,000 CHF |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 4,600 CHF | 11,000 CHF | 18,000 CHF |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Zurich ranges between 760 CHF and 3,000 CHF, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,200 CHF to 4,700 CHF. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 1,600 CHF and 6,400 CHF per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 2,000 CHF to 8,900 CHF. The average rent of a townhouse in Zurich is around 4,600 CHF while house rental costs can be as high as 9,400 CHF per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 4,600 CHF to 18,000 CHF per month.
Apartment and house prices in Zurich
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 160,000 CHF | 240,000 CHF | 480,000 CHF |
| $180,000 | $270,000 | $540,000 |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 200,000 CHF | 330,000 CHF | 1.2M CHF |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 300,000 CHF | 910,000 CHF | 1.8M CHF |
3-bedroom apartment price
Townhouse price
| 1.4M CHF | 3.2M CHF | 12M CHF |
House price
| 1.6M CHF | 9.8M CHF | 14M CHF |
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Zurich can range from 160,000 CHF to 480,000 CHF depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 200,000 CHF to 1.2M CHF. A villa can cost you 11M CHF on average with prices ranging from 2M CHF to 16M CHF.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Zurich will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 68 | x204 monthly income | 312 |
Property prices in Zurich can be x204 to x312 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x204 multiples of the average monthly salary in Zurich.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Zurich is around 42%. This means that people pay 42% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 30% to 54% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
33% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Zurich
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Zurich
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 150 CHF. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 41 CHF to 110 CHF with 83 CHF being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 45 CHF but can range between 27 CHF and 140 CHF depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Zurich is around 4.7%. This means that people pay 4.7% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 1.2% to 9.4% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Zurich
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Zurich
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Zurich is approximatly 16 CHF with meal cost ranging from 7.9 CHF to 26 CHF. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 28 CHF and 83 CHF with 41 CHF being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Zurich.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 53 CHF to 320 CHF with the average cost being 79 CHF for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Zurich.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Zurich is around 11 CHF. Price ranges between 6.8 CHF and 16 CHF depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Zurich is 6.6 CHF. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 8.3 CHF and the minimum being 5.5 CHF depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 5.2 CHF on average with 3.9 CHF and 7.9 CHF being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Zurich is between 9.4 CHF and 17 CHF depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 12 CHF.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 17 CHF. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Zurich costs around 5.7 CHF on average with prices rangeing between 4.2 CHF and 8.1 CHF depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 1.6 CHF to 4 CHF. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 3.8 CHF on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 120 CHF to 8,500 CHF with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
Published: August 24, 2024 Last Update: May 19, 2025
