β¦ Compare
Montreal vs
Zurich
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Zurich, CH, you'd need
$128,285 / year
Zurich, CH is 71% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Zurich, CH vs Montreal, CA)
- Housing+101%
- Food & groceries+51%
- Transport+63%
- Utilities+33%
- Healthcare+88%
- Goods & services+60%
Median 1-bed rent
$1,150 /mo
Montreal, CA overview β
Median 1-bed rent
$2,500 /mo
Zurich, CH overview β
β How Montreal, CA and Zurich, CH compare
Index vs the US average β the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
β€ Full comparison
| Montreal, CA | Zurich, CH | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 99 | 169 |
| Housing | 102 | 205 |
| Food | 106 | 160 |
| Transport | 80 | 130 |
| Utilities | 98 | 130 |
| Healthcare | 80 | 150 |
| Goods & services | 105 | 168 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,150/mo | $2,500/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $900/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,200/mo | $5,000/mo |
| Buy price / mΒ² centre | $5,500 | $18,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,011 | $591 |
| Inexpensive meal | $18 | $30 |
| Monthly transit pass | $70 | $90 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 33% | 40% |
| VAT / sales tax | 5% | 8.1% |
| Corporate tax | 26.5% | 15% |
| Capital gains | β | 0% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,300/mo | $6,000/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,900/mo | β |
| GDP per capita | $55,698 | $114,769 |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.1% | 0.2% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | High | High |
| Coworking spaces | 50 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | UTC+1 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 72 | 82 |
| Healthcare index | 78 | 90 |
| Pollution index | 35 | 25 |
| Internet speed | 180 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 78 | 85 |
| Public transport | 78 | 95 |
| Family-friendly | 74 | 75 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | β | $350/mo |
| Life expectancy | 82 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | -9 Β°C | 0 Β°C |
| July avg | +21 Β°C | +18 Β°C |
| Sunny days / year | 160 | 65 |
| Rainfall / year | 1,000 mm | 1,080 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 2 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Canada vs Switzerland. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
Good to know before you move to Montreal
A bilingual, European-flavoured metropolis and the most affordable of Canada's big cities β rents well below Toronto or Vancouver, a huge festival and food culture, and cheap universities. The catch is the long, brutally cold winter and Quebec's French-first bureaucracy.
- Currency
- Canadian dollar ($ CAD)
- Languages
- English, French
- Time zone
- UTC-5
- Internet
- 180 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 72/100
- Climate
- β -9Β°C Β· β 21Β°C Β· 160 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- A/B Β· 120V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Plateau-Mont-Royal Β· Mile End Β· Griffintown Β· Rosemont
Good to know before you move to Zurich
The world's benchmark for expensive β but salaries are sky-high, mandatory health insurance aside, and quality of life is unmatched.
- Currency
- Swiss franc (Fr. CHF)
- Languages
- German, French, Italian
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 200 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 82/100
- Climate
- β 0Β°C Β· β 18Β°C Β· 65 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- J Β· 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Kreis 4 Β· Kreis 5 Β· Seefeld
Plan your move to Montreal
Everything you will book for the move β sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Parking & carWay.com
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Plan your move to Zurich
Everything you will book for the move β sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Montreal to Zurich: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Montreal to Zurich, your cost of living will be roughly 71% more expensive. Zurichβs cost-of-living index is 169 versus 99 for Montreal (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income youβd need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Montreal cheaper than Zurich?
Zurich is about 71% more expensive than Montreal overall β its cost-of-living index is 169 versus 99 for Montreal.
How much do you need to earn in Zurich to live like in Montreal?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Montreal is worth about $128,285 in Zurich. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Montreal or Zurich?
Canada has the lower top income-tax rate β 33% versus 40% in Switzerland.
β· More comparisons from Montreal
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.