Cost #31/31 · Cost of living · Europe · Eurostat PLI 2024
🇨🇭 Cost of living in Switzerland
Switzerland runs pricier than most of the EU-27 across rent, groceries and transport - see where the gap is widest and how far local income actually stretches.
- Cost rank · cheapest = #1 of 31
- #31
- Affordability rank · highest purchasing power = #1 of 29
- #5
Switzerland's livability score
Livability score
27/100
Switzerland, weighted across 8 of 8 tracked dimensions
A cost-and-income composite (price-level indices plus purchasing power), not an overall quality-of-life judgment, it does not weigh climate, safety, culture, or healthcare outcomes.
- Purchasing power A €51,926
Median net income adjusted for local cost level
- Overall cost F 184
Eurostat overall price level (EU27=100)
- Rent F 214
Housing / rent price level (EU27=100)
- Groceries F 159
Food and non-alcoholic beverages (EU27=100)
- Healthcare F 224
Healthcare price level (EU27=100)
- Transport F 127
Transport price level (EU27=100)
- Utilities F 127
Electricity / gas / water (EU27=100)
- Restaurants F 171
Restaurants and hotels (EU27=100)
Switzerland: mid-pack 2024 Eurostat shift
Overall cost index changed +0.6 vs 2023 - a typical mid-pack European delta.
- Utilities index 118 127 2023 → 2024
Utilities index rose from 118 to 127 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Housing & utilities index 210 214 2023 → 2024
Housing & utilities index rose from 210 to 214 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Healthcare index 226 224 2023 → 2024
Healthcare index fell from 226 to 224 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Restaurants index 172 171 2023 → 2024
Restaurants index fell from 172 to 171 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Transport index 126 127 2023 → 2024
Transport index rose from 126 to 127 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
Switzerland in the 120+ cost band
On the EU-27 = 100 scale, Switzerland's overall index (184) sits in the 120+ band with 9 other published countries. The Europe-wide band mix lives on the rankings hub, not repeated here.
Where Switzerland's high price level concentrates
Bars + gauge for an above-EU overall index (184): which categories drive the premium, not a restated Europe lecture.
Switzerland - price level by category (EU-27 = 100)
🇨🇭 Switzerland vs EU-27 = 100
Gauge reads the same overall cost_index (184); the tick marks the EU average.
In Switzerland, healthcare is the most expensive category and utilities the least.
Why Switzerland reads expensive on Eurostat
Switzerland's overall consumer price level is 84% above the EU-27 average. (How this index is built →)
Healthcare is the priciest category in Switzerland, at index 224, ahead of utilities at index 127 relative to the EU basket.
That price gap bites hard into real purchasing power here: Switzerland's prices run well above the EU average, so the headline income of €51,926 is worth only about €28,175 once translated into EU-27-average terms - a steep discount.
Cities in Switzerland
National averages hide the big-city premium. See real monthly rent, groceries and transit costs for Switzerland's cities.
Eurostat PLI Basket · similar price levels and purchasing power
Two peer sets for Switzerland: nearest overall price-level indices (EU-27 = 100) and nearest cost-adjusted incomes (median net income ÷ cost index). The cost band block above stays cohort-based; these neighborhoods vary by entity.
Similar overall cost index
Nearest countries by Eurostat price level (184 here, EU-27 = 100).
PLI neighbourhood · Switzerland
Similar purchasing power
Nearest countries by cost-adjusted income (€28,175 here).
What to do with this Switzerland data
Switzerland ranks #5 of 29 for cost-adjusted purchasing power. A raw price index alone does not tell you whether income stretches further here than elsewhere.
- Run the numbers for Switzerland in the calculator
- Compare Switzerland vs Iceland side by side
- See the full best-value ranking
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These are Eurostat comparative price-level averages for the whole country, not a personal budget. Regional and city-level costs can differ substantially from the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Switzerland expensive to live in?
Switzerland's overall cost of living is 84% above the EU-27 average (index 184). Healthcare is the priciest category and utilities the cheapest.
What are housing & utilities costs in Switzerland?
Switzerland's housing & utilities price index is 214, above the EU norm.
How does income compare to costs in Switzerland?
That price gap bites hard into real purchasing power here: Switzerland's prices run well above the EU average, so the headline income of €51,926 is worth only about €28,175 once translated into EU-27-average terms - a steep discount.
PlainCostOfLiving is rendered directly from Eurostat comparative price levels and median equivalised net income, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-20. Primary sources: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind) and Eurostat median equivalised net income (ilc_di03).