Switzerland Cost of Living: Everything You Need to Plan Your Budget

2. Housing: The Biggest Expense

Housing is by far the number one expense in Switzerland. Whether you are a student, young professional, or family, finding an apartment that fits your monthly budget can be a real challenge, especially in the center of big cities.

Rent Prices

Housing in Switzerland often takes up the largest part of the budget:

• Studio in Zurich: 1,700–2,200 CHF/month (≈ €1,785–2,310)
• 2-room apartment in Geneva: 2,000–2,800 CHF/month (≈ €2,100–2,940)
• Shared flat room: 800–1,200 CHF/month (≈ €840–1,260)

👉 Compared to Lyon (France), where a studio costs around €650, the difference is striking.

How to Reduce Housing Costs?

• Opt for a shared flat, a great way to cut rent in half.
• Consider cities near major hubs but cheaper (Neuchâtel, Fribourg, etc.).
• Choose student residences or coliving, with shared spaces and more affordable overall pricing.

👤 Paul, an international student in Geneva, explains he first stayed in a hotel before finding a cheaper shared flat. “The costs are huge if you don’t plan well,” he says.

💡 Housing Tip: Ecla Geneva Archamps Residence

Good news for those wanting to live near Geneva without blowing their budget! Ecla Geneva Archamps residence offers both private studios and shared apartments, with rents between €800 and €1,150. All utilities are included: water, electricity, heating, and Wi-Fi.

But Ecla is more than just housing: you also enjoy many free common spaces like a gym, music studio, coworking, yoga room, sports bar, and even a karaoke or podcast room.

👉 In short: at Ecla, you keep your budget under control while living in a vibrant community. An excellent value for money option to settle in Switzerland with peace of mind.

4. Transport: Getting Around

Switzerland’s transport system is known for its quality, but it comes at a cost. Whether it’s a monthly pass, renting a car, or occasional taxi rides, every choice impacts your budget.

Public Transport

• Monthly city pass: 70–90 CHF (≈ €74–95)
• Swiss Travel Pass: from 240 CHF/3 days (≈ €252)

Car

• Gasoline: 1.90 CHF/liter (≈ €2.00)
• Insurance + maintenance: 300 CHF/month (≈ €315)

Taxi

• A ride in central Geneva: 20–40 CHF (≈ €21–42)
• Airport taxis are notoriously expensive.

👤 Lukas, a German consultant in Geneva, calculated he spends less with a public transport pass than using his car daily to commute downtown.

6. Leisure and Daily Life

Going out, watching a movie, or spending a night in a hotel also impact the Switzerland cost of living. While the quality of services is excellent, prices remain high.

• Cinema: 20 CHF (≈ €21) per ticket
• Gym: 80–120 CHF/month (≈ €84–126)
• Concert: often above 70 CHF (≈ €74)

👉 A night in a 3-star hotel easily costs 150 CHF (≈ €157), and high-end hotels often exceed 300 CHF (≈ €315), making Swiss hotels among the most expensive in Europe.

👤 Julien, a French expat in Geneva, says he often books vacations abroad, since one Swiss hotel night costs the same as a full weekend in Italy.

8. Salaries and Purchasing Power

Swiss salaries are among the highest worldwide. But do they really balance out the Switzerland cost of living?

• Median gross salary: 6,500 CHF/month (≈ €6,825)
• Finance, healthcare, engineering: up to 10,000 CHF/month (≈ €10,500)
• Minimum wage: about 22 CHF/hour (≈ €23) in some cantons

👉 High salaries help, but local prices limit purchasing power. Still, for top earners, Switzerland allows financing travel, luxury hotels, and expensive leisure.

👤 David, a banker based in Geneva, earns a very good living, but he explains that half of his income goes towards housing, insurance and transport. ‘Fortunately, the rest allows me to travel,’ he says with a smile.