✦ Compare
Vienna 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
$131,298 / year
Zurich, CH is 75% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Zurich, CH vs Vienna, AT)
- Housing+95%
- Food & groceries+68%
- Transport+86%
- Utilities+18%
- Healthcare+88%
- Goods & services+68%
▤ Full comparison
| Vienna, AT | Zurich, CH | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 97 | 169 |
| Housing | 105 | 205 |
| Food | 95 | 160 |
| Transport | 70 | 130 |
| Utilities | 110 | 130 |
| Healthcare | 80 | 150 |
| Goods & services | 100 | 168 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,150/mo | $2,500/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $850/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,200/mo | $5,000/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $8,500 | $18,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,035 | $591 |
| Inexpensive meal | $15 | $30 |
| Monthly transit pass | $55 | $90 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 55% | 40% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 8.1% |
| Corporate tax | 23% | 15% |
| Capital gains | 27.5% | 0% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,400/mo | $6,000/mo |
| GDP per capita | $56,505 | $114,769 |
| Inflation (annual) | 3% | 0.2% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | High | High |
| Coworking spaces | 40 | 40 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC+1 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 78 | 82 |
| Healthcare index | 88 | 90 |
| Pollution index | 30 | 25 |
| Internet speed | 180 Mbps | 200 Mbps |
| Walkability | 85 | 85 |
| Public transport | 90 | 95 |
| Family-friendly | 80 | 75 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | — | $350/mo |
| Life expectancy | 82 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +1 °C | 0 °C |
| July avg | +20 °C | +18 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 190 | 65 |
| Rainfall / year | 620 mm | 1,080 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Austria vs Switzerland. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Vienna to Zurich: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Vienna to Zurich, your cost of living will be roughly 75% more expensive. Zurich’s cost-of-living index is 169 versus 97 for Vienna (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Vienna cheaper than Zurich?
Zurich is about 75% more expensive than Vienna overall — its cost-of-living index is 169 versus 97 for Vienna.
How much do you need to earn in Zurich to live like in Vienna?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Vienna is worth about $131,298 in Zurich. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Vienna or Zurich?
Switzerland has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 55% in Austria.
◷ More comparisons from Vienna
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.