A new report by Comparis has revealed the cheapest and most expensive cities in Switzerland to rent a house or apartment. The findings show that while costs havestabilised in most ofthe country, Zurich and Geneva remain the priciest.
Geneva and Zurich remain the most expensive cities to rent
The report found that Geneva and Zuricharestill the most expensive places to rent a home. A4,5 room flat, ideal for families, costs around 3.500 Swiss francs a month in Geneva, making it the most expensive city for large apartments.
Zurich is the most expensive for smaller two-room flats, at around 1.600 Swiss francs a month. Comparis suggested that this may be down to more people living alone in Zurich, noting, “While this has decreased in Geneva in the past years, it has gone up in Zurich.”
Zurich and Geneva regularly rank as some of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, although it is estimated by HousingAnywhere group that Paris, London and Amsterdam have higher rents.
Lugano the least expensive place to rent a family home
Despite prices rising in many of the 10 largest cities in Switzerland that Comparis analysed, there are many parts of the country that are seeing rents fall. For a 4,5 room flat, Lugano, in Canton Ticino, has seen rents decline from 1.900 Swiss francs a month in 2017 to 1.700 per month today, less than half the price of Geneva. This makes it the cheapest place in Switzerland to rent a family-sized home.
For smaller flats, the city of Biel / Bienne is the cheapest, where a two-room apartment can be secured for as little as 985 Swiss francs a month. A spokesperson for Comparis, Leo Hug, said that the reason flats are so cheap in Lugano and Biel / Bienne is because of young people moving out and looking for jobs elsewhere, with both towns seeing their populations fall by 2,1 percent between 2017 and today.
The highest and lowest rent costs in the 10 largest cities in Switzerland
The study by Comparis compared the rent differently sized apartments in the 10 largest cities in Switzerland. For a 4,5 room apartment, the cheapest places to rent are as follows:
- Lugano (1.700 Swiss francs per month)
- St. Gallen (1.740Swiss francs per month)
- Biel / Bienne (1.852,5Swiss francs per month)
- Winterthur (2.190Swiss francs per month)
- Lucerne (2.230Swiss francs per month)
- Basel (2.340Swiss francs per month)
- Bern (2.350Swiss francs per month)
- Lausanne (2.570Swiss francs per month)
- Zurich (2.980Swiss francs per month)
- Geneva (3.500Swiss francs per month)
The cheapest Swiss cities for two-room apartments
According to Comparis, the cheapest cities for a two-room apartment are:
- Biel / Bienne(985Swiss francs per month)
- St. Gallen (995Swiss francs per month)
- Lugano (1.150Swiss francs per month)
- Basel (1.220Swiss francs per month)
- Lucerne (1.300Swiss francs per month)
- Winterthur (1.300Swiss francs per month)
- Bern (1.330Swiss francs per month)
- Lausanne (1.400Swiss francs per month)
- Geneva (1.610Swiss francs per month)
- Zurich (1.650Swiss francs per month)
Find out about how rent prices have changed in Switzerland
The rental market in Switzerland has changed significantly in the last few years. High demand in some cities is leading to lower prices elsewhere. For more information, check out the Comparis website.
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FAQs
The cheapest city to visit in Switzerland is not really known, as there are so many variants as to what can make it cheap to visit, but generally, the areas around the Jura, Neuchâtel and Thurgau are deemed some of the cheapest.
Which is the least expensive city in Switzerland? ›
The cheapest city to visit in Switzerland is not really known, as there are so many variants as to what can make it cheap to visit, but generally, the areas around the Jura, Neuchâtel and Thurgau are deemed some of the cheapest.
Where is the cheapest rent in Switzerland? ›
To give you an idea of the more affordable options, here is an overview of the cheapest places to live in Switzerland.
- Uri. The canton of Uri is consistently making the cut as the cheapest place to live in Switzerland. ...
- Glarus. ...
- Appenzell Innerrhoden. ...
- Obwalden. ...
- Neuchâtel. ...
- Thurgau. ...
- Jura. ...
- Valais.
The cost of living varies significantly from city to city in Switzerland. For example, the cost of an apartment in Geneva is much higher than in Lausanne or Zurich. However, the cheapest city is Zug when looking at all prices, including food, transportation, and utilities.
Is there affordable housing in Switzerland? ›
#PublicHousing: Swiss municipalities play an active role in providing public housing to residents, particularly those with lower incomes. Public housing projects receive government funding and support, allowing for the construction and maintenance of affordable housing units.
What city in Switzerland pays you to live there? ›
Albinen. Albinen, a charming town in Switzerland, invites people to move there and even pays for it to increase its population. Expats under 45 years of age are offered 20,000 Swiss Francs or around USD 21,000 for moving, and 10,000 Swiss Francs, or approximately USD 10,000 for moving their children.
What is the most safest city in Switzerland? ›
Data published this week reveal Switzerland's cantonal crime hotspot, a phenomenon connected to geography. In 2023, after a sharp rise, the canton of Basel-City recorded the largest number of violent crimes and the highest per capita rates of theft and burglary.
Is it cheaper to live in Switzerland than USA? ›
The example of Switzerland:
With a cost of living index of 131 all goods are on average about 31% more expensive than in the USA. But the average income in Switzerland of 7,958 USD is also 24% higher, which means that citizens can also afford more goods.
Can a foreigner rent in Switzerland? ›
As one of the most popular expat relocation countries, renting in Switzerland as a foreigner is easy. As a foreigner, your biggest obstacle will be the frustrating loop of needing a Swiss bank account in order to sign a Swiss lease, but also needing a lease in order to open a Swiss bank account.
How much do you need to live comfortably in Switzerland? ›
Answer- In most Swiss cities, a single person would need a net salary of 3,500 CHF per month to live comfortably, while a family of four would need a net salary of at least 9,000 CHF per month.
While there are numerous benefits to living in Switzerland, there are also some drawbacks to consider: High Cost of Living: As mentioned earlier, the cost of living in Switzerland is considerably high. This extends beyond just housing and includes groceries, dining, and general entertainment.
How much is a house in Switzerland in US dollars? ›
The average house in Switzerland costs 1.19 million Swiss francs, which is currently 1.34 million US dollars and 1.08 million British pounds. However, there are significant regional variations. You can find the cheapest houses and apartments in the canton of Jura. Real estate is the most expensive in the canton of Zug.
Is healthcare free in Switzerland? ›
Switzerland has universal health care, regulated by the Swiss Federal Law on Health Insurance. There are no free state-provided health services, but private health insurance is compulsory for all persons residing in Switzerland (within three months of taking up residence or being born in the country).
What is the cheapest rent in Switzerland? ›
According to most recent data, the average rent price for a one-bedroom apartment in Glarus is 750 Swiss Francs per month, the cheapest apartment rent on this list. Monthly utility payments may go up to 150 Swiss Francs, including electricity, water, and AC.
Is it hard to rent an apartment in Switzerland? ›
The Swiss housing market is competitive
Moving to a new country is stressful, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Once you arrive in Switzerland, you'll be struck hard by how difficult it is to find a property to rent, especially in the larger cities.
How much does a nice house cost in Switzerland? ›
The median price for houses on the market is CHF 1,200,000. The asking price for 80% of properties falls between CHF 530,000 and CHF 3,000,000. The average price per m² in Switzerland is CHF 7,502 / m² (price per square meter).
What is less expensive in Switzerland? ›
Interestingly, price competition which appears absent from food, clothing, magazines, cosmetics and toy products (which are all very expensive in Switzerland compared to the EU) is alive and well for electronic products, which are generally cheaper in Switzerland, due to far lower VAT in Switzerland versus the EU.
Is it cheaper to stay in Zurich or Basel? ›
The average daily cost (per person) in Zurich is $271, while the average daily cost in Basel is $238. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment.
Is Bern cheaper than Zurich? ›
Cost of Living Comparison Between Bern and Zurich. You would need around 7,819.9Fr. in Zurich to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with 6,900.0Fr. in Bern (assuming you rent in both cities).
What is the most peaceful city in Switzerland? ›
Zug is Switzerland's safest region with the lowest crime rate per 1,000 population of all Swiss cities and regions.
