Cost of Living · CH vs IT
🇨🇭 Zürich vs 🇮🇹 Rome: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $3,208 in Switzerland vs $1,489 in Italy — 53.59% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Italy
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -58%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -58%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -58%
Closest to Switzerland prices
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -21.95%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -21.96%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -22.01%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Switzerland | Italy | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $2,413 | $1,014 (937 EUR) | -58% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,931 | $811 (749 EUR) | -58% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $4,413 | $1,853 (1,713 EUR) | -58% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $23.17 | $11.72 (11 EUR) | -49.42% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $96.54 | $48.83 (45 EUR) | -49.42% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $13.84 | $7.45 (7 EUR) | -46.17% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $1.32 | $0.81 (1 EUR) | -38.64% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $3.84 | $2.34 (2 EUR) | -39.06% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $4.09 | $2.49 (2 EUR) | -39.12% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $12.02 | $7.32 (7 EUR) | -39.1% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $4.81 | $2.93 (3 EUR) | -39.09% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $5.77 | $3.51 (3 EUR) | -39.17% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $14.42 | $8.78 (8 EUR) | -39.11% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $2.40 | $1.46 (1 EUR) | -39.17% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $7.72 | $3.91 (4 EUR) | -49.35% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $8.77 | $6.84 (6 EUR) | -22.01% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $6.44 | $3.26 (3 EUR) | -49.38% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $2.76 | $1.68 (2 EUR) | -39.13% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $81.77 | $44.01 (41 EUR) | -46.18% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $3.46 | $1.86 (2 EUR) | -46.24% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $5.15 | $2.60 (2 EUR) | -49.51% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $2.32 | $1.17 (1 EUR) | -49.57% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $1.04 | $0.81 (1 EUR) | -22.12% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $252 | $135 (125 EUR) | -46.18% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $88.06 | $47.39 (44 EUR) | -46.18% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $56.61 | $30.47 (28 EUR) | -46.18% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $64.36 | $32.55 (30 EUR) | -49.43% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $18.02 | $9.12 (8 EUR) | -49.39% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $38.62 | $19.53 (18 EUR) | -49.43% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $60.29 | $47.05 (43 EUR) | -21.96% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $98.65 | $77.00 (71 EUR) | -21.95% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $322 | $163 (150 EUR) | -49.42% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Italy than Switzerland?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,489 in Italy versus $3,208 in Switzerland — 53.59% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Italy?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $3.91 in Italy (≈ 3.61 EUR), versus about $7.72 in Switzerland.
- How much is rent in Italy compared to Switzerland?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,014/month in Italy versus $2,413/month in Switzerland (-58%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.