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London vs Zurich cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ง London
๐จ๐ญ Zurich
At a glance
- Where Zurich is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (29%โ)
- Where London is clearly cheaper: Transit (57%โ), Bottled water (50%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (48%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ London 2 vs Zurich 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | London | Zurich | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฃ 17$23 | CHF 25$29.4 | London โ22% |
| Street food1 item | ยฃ 10$13.5 | CHF 11$12.9 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฃ 38$51.4 | CHF 51$60 | London โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฃ 3.7$5 | CHF 5$5.88 | London โ15% |
| Beerone bottle | ยฃ 6.8$9.19 | CHF 8$9.41 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฃ 13$17.6 | CHF 18$21.2 | London โ17% |
| Bottled water | ยฃ 1.3$1.76 | CHF 3$3.53 | London โ50% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฃ 2$2.7 | CHF 3.5$4.12 | London โ34% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฃ 16$21.6 | CHF 21$24.7 | London โ12% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฃ 9$12.2 | CHF 20$23.5 | London โ48% |
| Transitone ride | ยฃ 1.75$2.36 | CHF 4.7$5.53 | London โ57% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฃ 25$33.8 | CHF 30$35.3 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฃ 180$243 | CHF 220$259 | London โ6% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฃ 1,900$2,568 | CHF 2,200$2,588 | similar |
| Laundry | ยฃ 3$4.05 | CHF 5$5.88 | London โ31% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฃ 10$13.5 | CHF 20$23.5 | London โ43% |
| Haircutcut | ยฃ 25$33.8 | CHF 45$52.9 | London โ36% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฃ 65$87.8 | CHF 120$141 | London โ38% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฃ 50$67.6 | CHF 60$70.6 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฃ 32$43.2 | CHF 26$30.6 | Zurich โ29% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, London or Zurich?
London is 9% cheaper than Zurich. Daily budget $438 vs $491; a month $8,616 vs $9,293.
Which is easier to travel, London or Zurich?
About the same: London 1.4/5, Zurich 1.2/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between London and Zurich?
With a short-term studio and living costs, London is about $8,616 and Zurich about $9,293 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.