How much does it cost to travel to Zurich?
You should plan to spend around $277 (Sfr245) per day on your vacation in Zurich. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $64 (Sfr56) on meals
- $37 (Sfr33) on local transportation
- $350 (Sfr310) on hotels
A one week trip to Zurich for two people costs, on average, $3,873 (Sfr3,431). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Zurich has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Zurich expensive to visit?
Prices in Zurich are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, Zurich is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Saint Andrews or Dundee.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Zurich Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Zurich?
The average Zurich trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Zurich travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
Sfr310
($350)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
Sfr33
($37)
|
|
Food 2
|
Sfr56
($64)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
Sfr33
($37)
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
Sfr4 -
11
($4 - 13)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
Sfr13 -
40
($15 - 45)
|
Accommodation Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Zurich is $175 (Sfr155). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Zurich is $350 (Sfr310). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Zurich? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Zurich is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $37 (Sfr33) per person, per day, on local transportation in Zurich.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$37
Sfr33
How much does it cost to go to Zurich? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Zurich will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Zurich are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Zurich, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Food Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Zurich can vary, the average cost of food in Zurich is $64 (Sfr56) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Zurich should cost around $25 (Sfr23) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Zurich is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$64
Sfr56
Typical prices for Food in Zurich are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Zurich, but your costs will vary based on your travel style.
Entertainment Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Zurich typically cost an average of $37 (Sfr33) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$37
Sfr33
Tips and Handouts Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
Alcohol Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $30 (Sfr27) on alcoholic beverages in Zurich per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$30
Sfr27
Water Budget in Zurich
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $4.94 (Sfr4.38) on bottled water in Zurich per day. The public water in Zurich is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$4.94
Sfr4.38
Last Updated: Mar 13, 2023
Zurich On a Budget
Zurich, Switzerland
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.
It is a wonderful jumping off point for visiting the Alps, but also a great destination in and of itself. It's a very clean, efficient and wealthy city. It was considered for a long time to have the highest standard of living in Europe. There are countless restaurants of excellent quality, wonderful nightlife, happy people, and too many things to see and do to count. Be sure and allow yourself plenty of time to explore Zurich.
Zurich has four seasons with January being the coldest month and July being the warmest. During the average year there are 88 days where the temperature drops below freezing. During the month of July, the average high hovers around a comfortable 25 degrees Celsius. The spring and fall months are cooler but still comfortable and are still a great time to visit.
Sights
Most of Zurich's sights and attractions are located in the old town, around the lake and along the river. There are many things to see and do, but simply wandering around some of the city's interesting neighborhoods is highly recommended. Some of the city's top sights include Landesmuseum, Schanzengraben, Rietberg Museum, and the Lake Promenade. It's quite possible to see all or most of these places with
one day in Zurich.
Neighborhoods
Zurich is split by the Limmat River and can be divided into 12 districts. Altstadt is the old town that sits on the west bank. It has quaint, wandering streets and beautiful squares. In particular, Munsterhof is a beautiful city square. Bahnofstrasse is a neighborhood that is not too far from old town and is pedestrian only with many interesting stores. On the east bank, Niederdorfstrasse is the old town. This area has a great nightlife and some interesting boutiques. Langstrasse is also a great area to go out at night as is Hardbucke. Viadukt has many places to go shopping as well as the famous Freitag tower and the Prime Tower. Many of the city's hotels and restaurants are found in Turbinenplatz.
Activities
Shopping in Zurich can be quite fun, as there are a good number of local specialties that are fun to take home as souvenirs. Of particular interest is the Swiss Chocolate, Swiss clocks and watches, pastries and Swiss army knives.
Flohmarkt Burkliplatz and Flohmarkt Kanzlei are two good flea markets in town where you can often find some good buys. Even if you're not shopping for something specific, they are fun to browse and look around. Another fun option is to head to Pastorini Spielzeug, which is a high end toy store where you can find some hand made and unique toys that make for good souvenirs.
Popular events include Streetparade, Zuri Fascht and Sechselauten.
Food and Dining
Zurich offers many local specialties including Zurigeschnatzlets, which is chopped veal in a cream and wine sauce. Grilled worste, or sausages are also a local favorite. They are usually served with boiled potatoes or noodle dumplings, similar to spatzle. During the winter months fondue and
raclette are popular options, and they are available at touristy restaurants throughout the year.
In general, Zurich has many cafes that serve coffee or wine. These are great places to relax and people watch. There are also many international dining options including Asian, Italian and Turkish food. International food is often more affordable than traditional Swiss restaurants. Vegetarian food is readily available as well, but vegans may struggle because cheese is common in many recipes.
Transportation
Zurich has some the best public transportation in Europe. The system includes trams, buses, surburban trains (called the S-Bahn), regular trains, cable cars and boats. Trams run at street level and are usually efficient and on time when weather is good. Snow and traffic can delay the schedule though. They usually run every 7 to 15 minutes. The S-bahn reaches into most of the suburbs of Zurich. It is fast and convenient and most lines pass through Hauptbahnhof. Boats include the river buses and the lake steamers. The river boats only run during the summer months and the lake boats are significantly reduced during the winter months. The river buses run between the Landesmuseum to Tiefenbrunnen with several stops along the way. The lake steamers leave from Burkliplatz. There are several routes designed specifically for tourists with a favorite traveling to Rapperswil at the south end of the Zurichsee.
It is not recommended that you bring a car as you can rely on the buses and trams which are highly efficient and reasonably priced. Alternatively, it's a great biking city and there are a handful of bike rental options if you don't have access to your own.
Related:
Are you a student or backpacker headed to
Switzerland or
Austria?
Need a hostel in
Zurich or
Vienna?
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.