Cost of living 2019 in Switzerland

Hi Priscilla,

I'd like to answer your questions about living in Switzerland. I'm in this expat forum even that I'm not an expat in Switzerland but am Swiss and am living in Switzerland, in a town (Grellingen) not far from Basel. It's about 21 km (about 13 miles) from Basel. I joined this expat community about 6 years ago as I lived in Switzerland together with my Canadian wife after we lived together  in Canada for 2 years. Just that you know why I'm in this community while not being an expat but Swiss citizen. But now about your questions:

1.) How much does it cost to rent an apartment or a house in Switzerland? How about buying an apartment or a house in Switzerland?

First maybe about to buy an apartment or a house in Switzerland. This is exorbitant expensive in Switzerland and I don't recommend this if you don't intend to stay living in this house for at least the next 10 years or longer and even then only if the costs doesn't matter for you. For example: Single houses in or up to 15 km around a city with 5-6 rooms and with about 150-180 m2 living space cost between 1,5 up to 2,5 million Swiss Francs. About to rent an apartment or a house: Generally the rents in Switzerland are higher in the cities than on the countryside and in the cities and suburbs there also are  almost only apartments to rent and only few of houses. Also the prizes for renting an apartment or a house in Switzerland depend a lot what area in Switzerland you want to live in. For renting a house you would do best looking for in towns being a little out of a cities in distances of between 30 to 60 minutes by car or train. There you can rent a house with 4 till 6 rooms already for about 1'600 till 2'200 Swiss Francs/monthly plus side costs like heat etc. for about 200 till 300 Swiss Francs/monthly. Apartments with 2 or 3 bedrooms, living-room, bathroom and kitchen you can rent for about 800 till 1'300 Swiss Francs plus side costs of about 150 Swiss Francs/monthly. Best would be you take a look on websites for buying or renting a house or an apartment in Switzerland. I'll give you the names of some in Switzerland with a wide range of offers. These are:

- www.homegate.ch
- www.immoscout24.ch
- www.home.ch
- www.rent-a-home.ch
- www.anibis.ch

To compare prizes, places, etc. of houses and apartments in Switzerland there is a good webside too. I recommend to take a look there too.  This is:

- www.comparis.ch/immobilien/default (offers from 17 different websites)


2.) How much do you pay on average for public transportation (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)?

Hard to tell how much to pay on average because the offers and prizes vary very much depending of what area you live in Switzerland and if it's in a city or on countryside. I can tell you what it costs in the area North-West-Switzerland where I live in. Best and cheapest to buy there is the monthly TNW-UAbo with which you can use all of public transports there unlimited in the area of about 25 km around Basel. This ticket costs 80 Swiss Francs/monthly for each adult person. For children it costs less.

3.) How much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta?

That depends in what store here you buy it and what quality you wish to buy. In average I would say: rice about 1.80 SFr. (Swiss Francs) /kilo (2 pounds), if best price for good quality you pay 5 SFr. for 5 kilo (10 pounds); white bread for 1.20 SFr./a pound, dark bread for 1.80/a pound; pasta for 1.10 SFr./a pound; beer 0.75 SFr./a half liter.

4.) What is your monthly budget for groceries?

About 250 - 300 SFr./monthly for a single person household.

5.) How much does it cost to see a doctor or health specialist in Switzerland?

The health insurance in Switzerland is expensive. It costs in average about 420 SFr./monthly and the first 700 SFr. every calendar year of doctor bills and medications one has to pay fully oneself and after this one still has to pay 0% of the further doctor bills and medications. the health insurance for each child on top of the parents costs additionally 70-80 SFr./monthly. Heath insurance family packages cost in average about 1'200 for 2 parents with 4 children.

6.) How much do you pay for health insurance per month?

I pay 430 SFr./monthly for my health insurance (adult) but have free choice of doctors and hospitals. The health insurance for the children and teenagers cost about 70-80 SFr./monthly additionally to the parent's one. But there are offers for the whole family (family prizes) here and that makes it a little cheaper all together.

7.) How much does childcare cost on average per month?

childcare is expensive in Switzerland. It can cost 1200 up to 2000 SFr./monthly (with 3 days up to 5 days every week).

A whole day in daycare costs 120 SFr each child, a half day costs 60 SFr. without lunch, a half day with lunch costs 85 SFr. for each child

8.) What is your child's schooling budget per month?

In Switzerland one counts with about 300 bis 400 SFr. for the total additional monthly costs for a baby; a child in school from grade one until grade 6 (6-11 years old) cost totally in average about 691 SFr./monthly. A child from grade 6 until grade 12 (12-18 years old) costs totally in average 950 SFr./monthly.

9.) How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?

A liter gasoline cost in the moment 1.72 SFr.

10.) How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc., per month?

- electricity: about 50 SFr./monthly
- water, heat etc. (rent-side-costs) about 100-150 SFr./monthly (1 - 4 person houshold)

11.) How much do you pay for your internet and phone subscription?

For internet, TV and cellphone I pay 110 SFr./monthly

12.) How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?

Hard to tell. Depends if you prepare one at home or if you buy one in a store. From at home it is included in the monthly groceries costs I named above.

13.) How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?

About 4.80 SFr. in a restaurant.

14.) How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?

That is expensive in Switzerland. About 28 SFr. for 1 adult. For children it's cheaper, about 18 SFr.

15.) How much does a gym membership cost in Switzerland?

These prizes vary very much. A cheap one about 35 SFr./monthly, an expensive one about 100 SFr./monthly.


I hope I could help you with these information. If you need more information or more specific ones than feel free to write me by email to esraschir777"gmail.com.

Siegfried Helfrich