Rents, taxes, and health insurance premiums vary considerably from one Swiss municipality to another. A new analysis shows the extent of these differences – and where you can live (relatively) inexpensively.
The answer to this question, which has probably been on the minds of all residents of Switzerland at one time or another – is revealed in a new cost analysis carried out by Beobachter publication.
To establish this comparison, the average rent, tax burden, and median health insurance premium were culled from official sources and added together for all municipalities. The calculation was first performed for a family of four, with an annual income of 150,000 francs living in 4.5-room apartment, and then a second time for a single person with an income of 100,000 francs per year living in a 2.5-room flat.
Conclusion: The regional differences are considerable, but if you expect to see large, or even medium-sized, cities on this list, prepare to be disappointed: all these communities are small, and some are located off the beaten path.
The cheapest…
By far, it is Medel (Lucmagn), in the upper Surselva region of Graubünden.
The community has approximately 500 inhabitants, spread across 10 villages located between Disentis and the Lukmanier Pass.
Life there is quite affordable – at least by Swiss standards.
For instance, a middle-class family with a gross income of 150,000 francs living in a 4.5-room apartment pays just over 3,000 francs per month for rent, taxes, and health insurance premiums.
As a comparison, in Commugny (Vaud), the same family would have to spend 7,000 francs a month on these three fixed expenses.
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Where else can a salary go farther in Switzerland?
In general, the cost of living in other Graubünden communities is among the cheapest in Switzerland as well.
But life in the small, and often remote, villages is not a good fit for everyone.
No worries: Beobachter also lists two municipalities in centrally-located canton of Zug – Steinhausen and Risch – which are only a short distance away from Zurich and are among the most affordable in the country.
Wait, Zug? You are right: rents are typically quite high in Zug, but they are offset by very low taxes and health insurance premiums:
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Which communities should people on a strict budget avoid?
Obviously, the most expensive ones.
They are, according to the study, municipalities located on the lower shore of Lake Geneva, notably in Commugny (Vaud), as well as Bellevue and Confignon (both in Geneva).
Very high rents — over 4,000 francs for a 4.5-room apartment, and nearly 3,000 francs for a 2.5-room apartment — combined with significant taxes and health insurance premiums, result in the highest overall costs in those regions.
READ MORE: How much does it cost to live in Switzerland’s major cities in 2026?
