San Francisco vs Zurich - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

San Francisco Zurich
🚶 Cost of living one person
$3781
$3392
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$8717
$8190
🏠 One person rent
$2600
$2018
🏘️ Family rent
$4501
$3505
🍽️ Food expenses
$806
$880
🚐 Transport expenses
$181
$226
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$7795
$6770
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
18 km
8 km
🎓 Higher education
97
81
😀 Quality of life
97
98
🏙️ Population
874K
447K

The cost of living in San Francisco is 11% more expensive than in Zurich. Cities ranked 9th and 41st ($3781 vs $3392) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 7th and 3rd in the United States and Switzerland, respectively. Check the United States vs Switzerland comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.1 months in San Francisco compared to 2 months in Zurich. San Francisco ranked 1st best city to live in the United States vs Zurich ranked 1st in Switzerland, while ranked 12th and 6th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in San Francisco vs Zurich infographic

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Prices in San Francisco vs Zurich

Prices for goods and services in San Francisco and Zurich are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

San Francisco Zurich
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$22.5
$27.3
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$103
$71.9
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$12.3
$19.4
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$8.68
$9.29
 Cappuccino
$5.68
$6.57
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.79
$5.53
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$2707
$2243
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$2324
$1698
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$5024
$3982
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$4030
$3016
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$138
$155
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$211
$239
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$61.5
$55.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.62%
2.34%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$11577
$9651
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$11019
$5769
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.6
$5.16
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$96.5
$102
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$20.9
$44.3
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.35
$2.21
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.66
$2
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$4.31
$3.52
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.8
$3.67
🥚 Eggs, x12
$6.2
$7.98
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$23
$21.9
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$15
$26.2
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$22.5
$49.2
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.37
$3.69
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.31
$2.45
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.7
$3.16
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7
$5.09
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.91
$2.67
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.18
$2.61
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.68
$0.79
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$3.7
$3.29
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$18.1
$16.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.33
$2.47
🚬 Cigarette pack
$13.6
$10.7
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.5
$20.9
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$7.97
$5.99
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$5.38
$3.81
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.89
$3.85
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$91.5
$84.6
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$17.1
$22.6
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$132
$154
💇 Haircut, simple
$23.8
$48.1
👖 Brand Jeans
$63.2
$132
👟 Brand Sneakers
$107
$134
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$2916
$2756
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$31050
$20539

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Cities near San Francisco

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.9 mi Daly
$3180
14 km or 8.4 mi South San Francisco
$3170
14 km or 8.8 mi Alameda
$3274
15 km or 9.2 mi Oakland
$3146
16 km or 10 mi Albany
$2940
17 km or 10 mi Berkeley
$3082
17 km or 11 mi San Bruno
$3196
18 km or 11 mi El Cerrito
$2977
18 km or 11 mi Pacifica
$3152
19 km or 12 mi Richmond
$3053
20 km or 12 mi Millbrae
$3224
21 km or 13 mi San Pablo
$3048
22 km or 14 mi Burlingame
$3293
24 km or 15 mi San Leandro
$3023
24 km or 15 mi San Rafael
$4155
26 km or 16 mi San Mateo
$3672
28 km or 17 mi San Lorenzo
$2802
28 km or 18 mi Foster
$3473
29 km or 18 mi Lafayette
$2831
29 km or 18 mi Hercules
$2949
31 km or 19 mi Belmont
$3804
32 km or 20 mi Hayward
$2981
32 km or 20 mi Castro Valley
$2931
34 km or 21 mi San Carlos
$3442
34 km or 21 mi Walnut Creek
$2874
36 km or 23 mi Redwood
$3584
37 km or 23 mi Martinez
$2714
37 km or 23 mi Danville
$2922
37 km or 23 mi Pleasant Hill
$2767
38 km or 24 mi Union
$2986
39 km or 24 mi San Ramon
$2851
39 km or 24 mi Vallejo
$2885
39 km or 24 mi Novato
$3176
39 km or 24 mi Benicia
$2845
41 km or 25 mi Concord
$2726
42 km or 26 mi Menlo Park
$3288
42 km or 26 mi East Palo Alto
$3228
43 km or 27 mi Newark
$3010
45 km or 28 mi Dublin
$3091
46 km or 28 mi Palo Alto
$3610

Cities near Zurich

Distance City Cost of living
4.2 km or 2.6 mi Altstetten
$3139
6.4 km or 4 mi Dubendorf
$3129
11 km or 6.6 mi Dietikon
$3048
14 km or 8.6 mi Horgen
$3163
14 km or 8.6 mi Uster
$3057
16 km or 9.7 mi Bulach
$3013
19 km or 12 mi Wettingen
$3135
19 km or 12 mi Wadenswil
$3145
19 km or 12 mi Winterthur
$3184
20 km or 13 mi Wetzikon
$3015
20 km or 13 mi Baden
$3206
20 km or 13 mi Baar
$3320
23 km or 15 mi Zug
$3627
28 km or 17 mi Rapperswil-Jona
$3011
33 km or 21 mi Frauenfeld
$2647
36 km or 22 mi Schaffhausen
$2629
37 km or 23 mi Waldshut-Tiengen
$1559
37 km or 23 mi Aarau
$2207
38 km or 24 mi Emmen
$3020
40 km or 25 mi Wil
$2492
40 km or 25 mi Lucerne
$3068
43 km or 27 mi Kriens
$2989
48 km or 30 mi Singen
$1636
51 km or 32 mi Radolfzell
$1710
56 km or 35 mi Kreuzlingen
$2782
57 km or 36 mi Konstanz
$1903
60 km or 37 mi Rheinfelden
$1551
63 km or 39 mi St. Gallen
$2618
63 km or 39 mi Uberlingen
$1771
64 km or 40 mi Donaueschingen
$1468
70 km or 44 mi Riehen
$3415
71 km or 44 mi Tuttlingen
$1434
71 km or 44 mi Lorrach
$1531
74 km or 46 mi Weil am Rhein
$1538
74 km or 46 mi Basel
$2741
76 km or 47 mi Villingen-Schwenningen
$1391
77 km or 48 mi Saint-Louis
$1399
77 km or 48 mi Friedrichshafen
$1759
77 km or 48 mi Schaan
$2483
78 km or 48 mi Allschwil
$2843