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Health insurance premiums for 2027 from the Federal Office of Public Health, net salaries for 2026 from our salary calculator, rents and household spending from the Federal Statistical Office.
For a single person in Zurich in 2027, rent, health insurance and transport alone come to about CHF 2'070 a month: a 2-room flat averages CHF 1'510, the mean health insurance premium is CHF 477.00 and a ZVV pass for two city zones costs about CHF 85. Electricity, phone and liability insurance add roughly CHF 190. Taxes and social contributions are deducted from the salary: on CHF 6'500 gross they take about CHF 1'322, leaving CHF 5'178 net (2026).
About 58 percent more expensive: according to Eurostat, the price level for private consumption in 2025 was 171 points in Switzerland and 108 in Germany (EU = 100). The gap varies by item: rent for 3 rooms is 2.4 times higher. Salaries make up for much of it: the median salary is CHF 7'024 gross a month, and a single person in Zurich keeps about CHF 5'547 net in 2026.
A single person in Zurich with CHF 1'700 rent, CHF 440 health insurance, CHF 600 for food and CHF 900 for leisure arrives at CHF 4'175 a month in 2027. According to the Federal Statistical Office, single-person households under 65 spent an average of CHF 3'350 on consumption (2020/2021), plus health insurance and taxes. Enter your own amounts in the budget calculator above.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, an average household of 2.07 people had a gross income of CHF 10'341 a month in 2023. Of this, CHF 3'154 went to taxes, social insurance and health insurance and CHF 5'049 to consumption. The largest item is housing and energy at CHF 1'449, followed by transport at CHF 744 and food at CHF 638. Households saved CHF 1'736.
On Swiss average CHF 1'485 net a month for a rented flat (2024), CHF 1'217 for 2 rooms and CHF 1'446 for 3 rooms, excluding service charges. The canton of Zug is the most expensive at CHF 2'024, the canton of Zurich averages CHF 1'768. On top comes health insurance, CHF 487.60 per adult on average in 2027. Compare 2027 premiums for your canton.
A 2-room flat in the canton of Zurich costs CHF 1'510 on average, and the mean health insurance premium for 2027 is CHF 477.00. With typical other expenses, a single person needs about CHF 4'100 net. On CHF 5'500 gross a single person keeps about CHF 4'463 net, on CHF 6'500 about CHF 5'178. To save as well, aim for CHF 6'000 gross or more.
A couple with two children pays CHF 1'536 rent for a 4-room flat in the canton of Bern on average and about CHF 1'240 for health insurance in 2027. With food, transport and leisure, CHF 5'500 to 6'500 quickly add up. A single earner keeps about CHF 6'357 net from CHF 8'000 gross and CHF 7'044 from CHF 9'000. A suitable target is a gross salary of CHF 8'000 to 9'000.
If both earn CHF 5'500 gross, the couple keeps about CHF 8'452 net together in Basel-Stadt in 2026. Of this, an average of CHF 1'445 goes on a 3-room flat and twice CHF 570.60 on health insurance in 2027, together CHF 2'586. That leaves just under CHF 5'900 for food, leisure and everything else. Even with CHF 5'000 gross each, the couple reaches CHF 7'812 net.
Almost all of them. The gap is largest for rent: in 2024 a 3-room flat cost CHF 1'446 in Switzerland on average and about EUR 639 in Germany, 2.4 times as much after conversion. Mobile, internet and landline cost almost three times as much, food 1.6 times and a public transport pass 1.3 times. Electricity is cheaper: 2'500 kWh a year cost CHF 64 a month in Switzerland, EUR 84 in Germany.
The three big blocks are housing, health insurance and taxes. A 3-room flat costs CHF 1'446 net on average, excluding service charges. Every adult pays health insurance themselves, a mean CHF 464.80 a month in 2026, with no employer contribution. Then come food at 1.6 times German prices, transport and leisure. According to the Federal Statistical Office, a household spent CHF 5'049 a month on consumption in 2023.
In Switzerland, CHF 1'000 buys roughly as much as EUR 680 in Germany, although it is about EUR 1'074 at the exchange rate. The reason is the higher price level, 171 against 108 points according to Eurostat (2025). In everyday terms, CHF 1'000 does not even cover the average rent of a 3-room flat of CHF 1'446. For a couple's groceries it lasts just under one and a half months.
On Swiss average, a single person pays CHF 1'217 rent for 2 rooms, CHF 464.80 health insurance (2026), CHF 371 for food, CHF 207 for service charges and energy and CHF 122 for phone, about CHF 2'380 a month without transport and leisure. From 2027 the AHV old-age pension is at least CHF 1'280 and at most CHF 2'560 a month. Health insurance remains in full.
You now know for sure that you are paying for the cost of living in Switzerland be able to bear your wages well?
Then the adventure in Switzerland is now waiting for you. Keep a record and keep an eye on all your expenses, especially in the first few months. Then nothing can go wrong and you can concentrate on familiarizing yourself with Switzerland.
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