Should you visit Zurich or Monaco?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Zurich and Monaco. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Zurich
Zurich has the biggest connection for trains in Switzerland. It also has the country's biggest and busiest airport. Because of its importance as a transportation center, it is likely to be the first place you visit in Switzerland. It is the financial capital of the country (although, contrary to what you may have thought, not the political capital). It has many international companies, and is home to the country's stock exchange.
Monaco
Monaco is a small city-state that is completely surrounded by France. The Italian Riviera is only a few kilometers to the east and the country enjoys a wonderful, Mediterranean climate. Monaco is also the second smallest independent state in the world, with the Vatican being the smallest. It is six times as large of the Vatican and also the world's most densely populated independent country. It is entirely urban and a fun place to spend a few days.
Which city is cheaper, Monaco or Zurich?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Zurich is $211, while the average daily cost in Monaco is $175. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Zurich and Monaco in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $266 for a double occupancy room in Zurich.
Monaco's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $222. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is $111.
Food
Zurich food costs typically run travelers around $49 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
On average, meal and food prices in Monaco cost around $50 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $20.
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Food
Meals for one day
Zurich $49
Monaco $50
Typical Food prices in Zurich
Some typical examples of dining costs in Zurich are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Zurich
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Zurich.
-
Culinary Tour from Zurich with Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue Dinner:
$154
-
Overnight Mount Titlis including 4-course dinner:
$545
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Zurich is $28 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The average price of local transportation around Monaco is $16 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Zurich
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Zurich:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Zurich
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Zurich:
-
(Airport) transfer: from Zürich airport or Zürich to Bern, Fribourg, Thun, Biel:
$576
-
Arrival Private Transfer Zurich Airport ZRH to Lucerne-Basel-Bern by Luxury Van:
$241
-
Arrival Private Transfer from Zurich Airport ZRH to Zurich City by Luxury Car:
$123
-
Arrival Private Transfer from Zurich Airport ZRH to Zurich City by Luxury Van:
$123
-
Departure Private Transfer Zurich to Zurich Airport ZRH by Luxury Car:
$123
-
Departure Private Transfer Zurich to Zurich Airport ZRH by Luxury Van:
$123
-
Departure Private Transfer from Zurich to Zurich Airport ZRH by Business Car:
$103
-
Flughafen Transfer:
$104
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Friedrichshafen Airport to Zürich City - One Way:
$601
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Zürich Airport to Bern City - One Way:
$366
-
Low Cost Private Transfer From Zürich Airport to Zurich City - One Way:
$126
-
Premium Transfer from Zürich Airport or city to Basel city, port or Airport:
$454
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Monaco
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Monaco:
-
Private Departure Transfer from Monaco Hotels to Nice Airport:
$65
-
Monaco Transfer: Monaco Cruise Port to Nice Airport:
$80
-
Departure Private Transfers from Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE:
$98
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Business Car:
$108
-
Departure Private Transfers from Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van:
$118
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Van:
$124
-
Nice Airport Transfers : Monaco City to Nice Airport NCE in Luxury Car:
$157
-
Monaco Private Transfer from Monaco-Ville to Nice Airport:
$174
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Between Monaco and Nice: Single Helicopter Transfer:
$199
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Private transfer: Monaco Airport (MCM) to Monaco:
$622
Is it cheaper to fly into Zurich or Monaco?
Prices for flights to both Monaco and Zurich change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Zurich's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $28 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Monaco's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $22 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Tours and Activities in Zurich
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Zurich are as follows:
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Zurich Private Tour: Albert Einstein Old Town Exploration Game:
$7.45
-
Historical Zürich: An audio tour through the city of a thousand fountains:
$9.99
-
Museum Rietberg Zurich Entrance Ticket:
$21
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Zurich Old Town Walking Tour:
$30
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Shopping and History Tour of Zurich:
$30
-
Zürich Historic District Tour:
$30
-
Swiss Chocolate Walking Tour of Zurich:
$36
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Zurich City Tour Experience:
$40
-
Zurich Highlights Tour:
$40
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Zurich Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$45
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Private Tuk-Tuk City Tour:
$49
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The Best of Zurich Including Panoramic Views in a Small Group Walking Tour:
$58
Typical Entertainment prices in Monaco
Here are a few typical costs in Monaco for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Monaco
Here are a few actual costs in Monaco for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Oceanographic Museum of Monaco Ticket:
$14
-
Monaco Hop on Hop Off Sightseeing Bus Tour:
$29
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Monte-Carlo and Monaco sightseeing walking tour with an expert guide:
$56
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Group tour of French Riviera from the port of Monaco/Monte-Carlo:
$112
-
Helicopter Sightseeing Flight:
$164
-
Monaco 30/60-Minute Ferrari Driving Experience:
$185
-
Lamborghini Sports Car Experience from Monaco:
$211
-
Monaco Private Walking Tour:
$245
-
Monaco Shore Excursion to Nice, Eze, Monaco & Monte-Carlo Full Day Tour:
$249
-
Private Tour: Personal Travel Photographer Tour in Monaco:
$279
-
30 Minute Ferrari California T Sports Car Experience from Monaco:
$290
-
Monaco Private Walking Tour:
$332
Alcohol
The average person spends about $23 on alcoholic beverages in Zurich per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Monaco may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $24 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Zurich
Also in Zurich, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
Sample the Local Flavors in Monaco
Also in Monaco, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Authentic Wine Tasting Experience:
$48
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Monaco Shore Excursion: Private Tour of Nice and Eze with Wine Tasting:
$657
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Private St-Jeannet, St-Paul-de-Vence, and Wine Tour from Monaco:
$843
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zurich and Monaco, we can see that Zurich is more expensive. And not only is Monaco much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Monaco would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Monaco and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Zurich would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zurich than you might in Monaco.
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