Switzerland has a reputation: it’s where your wallet goes on vacation too. 🤑 Think $7 coffees, $40 cheese fondues, and hotel rooms that cost more than your first car.
But here’s the twist: is Switzerland really that much more expensive than other bucket-list destinations like New York, London, Paris, or San Francisco?
Let’s break it down — hotels, meals, trains, metros, cars, and even petrol/gas — to see if Switzerland deserves its “most expensive country” crown.
Hotels: Zurich vs. The World 🛏️
Hotels are where sticker shock usually hits first. And the prices below might surprise you.
NOTE: Below are the “average” hotel prices for a city from a reputable comparison site, Budget Your Trip, and the rest of the number below from Numbeo. Although they might not appear realistic (because they are averaged), they provide a benchmark for this comparison.
- Zurich: ~$149/night
- New York City: ~$175/night
- San Francisco: ~$154/night
- London & Paris: ~$126/night
- Munich: just $81/night (Yes, Germany is still cheap, so your budget will thank you)
👉👉 Surprise: Zurich is expensive, yes, but not the worst. NYC and SF are actually pricier on average. Meanwhile, Munich is the deal of the century.
Eating Out: Bring Your Appetite (and Credit Card) 🍝🍷
Food is where Switzerland flexes its expensive muscles. So, eating out is going to cost you both your arm and leg. But it doesn’t always have ot be that way if you either cook in an Airbnb or avoid expensive meals like steak and other top-end food.
But we are not here to give budget advice right now (👉👉 you can read this post for that)
- Inexpensive lunch: Zurich ~$28 vs NYC ~$25 vs Paris ~$16
- Dinner for 2 (3 courses): Zurich ~$133 vs London ~$101 vs Paris ~$64
👉👉 Translation: Dinner in Zurich for two costs about the same as a flight on Ryanair. Paris, on the other hand, lets you wine and dine without bankrupting tomorrow’s breakfast.
Want To Save This For Later?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Public Transport: Tickets to Ride 🚇
Switzerland is famous for trains that run so punctually they make German timetables blush. But… you’ll pay for it, especially if you don’t invest in a train pass.
- One-way metro ticket: Zurich ~$4.40 vs NYC ~$2.90 vs Paris ~$2.70
- Monthly pass: Zurich ~$96 vs London ~$228 vs Milan ~$41
👉👉 Londoners pay double Zurich prices for a monthly pass (ouch), but Paris and Milan commuters are laughing all the way to their local Swiss bank.
Driving: Fuel & Rentals 🚗
Are you thinking of renting a car for your Swiss road trip? Get ready—the price of fuel is not cheap.
But, when you get to tackle those famous James Bond roads like the Furka Pass, or other Swiss alpine passes, then some of you might be willing to pay the penalty!
- Gasoline: Zurich ~$2/liter vs US ~$0.93/liter (yes, about double)
- Car rentals (economy/day): Zurich $75–100, NYC $70–100, LA $36–60, Milan $40–60
👉👉 Renting a car in Zurich is pricey, especially at the airport, but not wildly more than New York. Los Angeles, with its car culture, is far cheaper.
The Big Picture 🖼️
So, is Switzerland really the world’s most expensive place to travel? Maybe the verdict is not as clear cut as people believe.
Sure, some of you coming from the UK (not London) or Australia & NZ where the currecy is down the gurgler will complain, but when you really take the time to compare, then it’s not that clear cut.
- Hotels: Comparable to NYC & SF, more expensive than Paris/London.
- Food: One of the priciest in the world. Your fondue pot will cost more here than anywhere else.
- Transport: Costly tickets, but impeccable quality. Monthly passes still cheaper than London.
- Cars: Fuel is painfully expensive, rentals aren’t great either.
👉 The verdict: Switzerland is pricey, especially for eating out and getting around. But compared to NYC, SF, or London, it’s not always the most expensive. Think of it as luxury pricing with luxury efficiency.
Thank you Ashley for all your very important information over the past months. We’re off to Switzerland today to spend time in the
LA AUTERBRUNNEN area for two weeks. Your emails and Facebook posts have been so incredibly helpful. Now let’s hope that the weather will be not too bad so that we can see those marvellous Alps and gorgeous valleys!
Thank you!
Jill
I would recommend staying in Mürren at least 3-4 nights. When I was a tour manager I took my tour group there. It wasn’t on the itinerary, but on a free day I asked whoever wanted to join me to come along. Everyone said it was the best part of the tour. I always stay there for at least 4 nights when I visit, at the Hotel Alpina. It is a great family owned hotel with views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. And from there you can hike and use trains, cable cars and funiculars to travel the area. Don’t miss this incredible village!!
I enjoy reading your emails and travel advice for your stunning country. Arrived in St Moritz two days ago staying in a nice apartment with a lake and mountain view (albeit over the top of the Coop store ). A bargain in my book at £800 for 7 nights, no £500 per night hotels in my budget. Had a brilliant trip on the Bernina line to Tirano and return, used the regio train with our interrail pass instead of the panoramic express, noticed our train was so much quieter and had room to move around for the stunning views compared to the “tourist” train. Always look for the supermarket reductions for self catering and avoid buying coffees etc all day long, Switzerland can be as expensive as you want but some common sense can save you money without missing out.