Temperature
July has the warmest monthly average (18.7°C); January is coolest (-0.7°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.
Switzerland · Visit or make it home
Zurich
Zurich is a city in Switzerland. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.
Get to know Zurich
A sense of the place
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2025, the municipality had a population of 440,935, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people , and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million . Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country. Zurich is a cosmopolitan city. While German is the official language and Zurich German, the most widely spoken variety, the use of both German and Swiss German at home is steadily declining, whereas the use of English has increased by 60% over ten years, reaching 14% of the population in 2024, and 40% of Zurich residents speak English at work. Evidence of early, sparse settlements in the area dates back more than 6,400 years, indicating human presence prior to the establishment of the town.
Weather through the year
When to visit Zurich
Rain and outdoor plans
August averages about 146 mm of rain, compared with 73 mm in February. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.
Planning time outdoors
January, February, March, November, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average °C | -0.7 | 0.1 | 4.3 | 8.9 | 13.1 | 17.1 | 18.7 | 18.2 | 14.1 | 9.8 | 4.3 | 0.2 |
| Rain, mm | 94 | 73 | 91 | 91 | 141 | 139 | 144 | 146 | 103 | 100 | 87 | 102 |
Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001–2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.
Places around Zurich
Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.
Botanical garden
Old Botanical Garden, Zurich
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another citySki area
Atzmännig
35.8 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityPark
Pestalozziwiese
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityAverage rent in Zurich
What is the average rent in Zurich?
1,641 €/month is the recorded central one-bedroom rent reference for Zurich, dated 2022-2024. This is a dated comparison measure, rather than a home available today. Check current listings in your chosen neighbourhood, then add utilities, the deposit and commuting to make a budget for your own move.
Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) — Structural rent statistics, table T 09.03.03.42, avg NET rent 2-room · Reference date: 2022-2024 · Swiss FSO product-specific terms; exact reuse licence unverified
Average salary in Zurich
What is the average salary in Zurich?
A verified city average salary for Zurich is not available in the evidence shown here. National income per person and purchasing-power measures are not salaries and cannot predict take-home pay. Compare a current offer in your occupation with local taxes, housing and transport costs before deciding whether a move is affordable.
How should I compare Zurich with another city?
Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.
- Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
- Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
- Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.
Data sources, licences & reuse terms
Plan your stay
Budget and everyday decisions
A holiday budget
Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Zurich, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.
Compare holiday preferences →A relocation budget
The recorded central one-bedroom rent is 1,641 €/month (2022-2024). Compare it with properties in your chosen neighbourhood.
Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.
Compare with another city →Your relocation planning budget
Build a monthly budget for Zurich in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Rent starts from the recorded 2022-2024 figure; edit it for your chosen home.
Monthly total:
First month including move:
Compare with another city →Compare the details
Zurich at a glance
Distance to nearest sea / coastline
200 km
Distance to the coastline does not guarantee a swimmable beach, public access or a short journey.
Data period: 2024. Limited confidence. Source: OpenStreetMap coastline — derived distance to sea · Open Database Licence 1.0 (ODbL)Compare with another city →Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy)
7 / 10
A broad comparison of provision, not a timetable. Check routes between your accommodation and the places you will visit regularly.
Data period: 2026-08. Limited confidence. Source: Documented public-transport provision ordinal (rapid-transit systems + city size) · GooferPlaces documented estimate; no external blanket licenceCompare with another city →Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high)
2 / 4
Data period: 2020. Limited confidence. Source: EFEHR / ESHM20 — European Seismic Hazard Model 2020 · CC BY 4.0Compare with another city →Annual precipitation
1,130 mm/year
Annual precipitation gives a broad climate comparison. Its distribution through the year matters more for a short visit.
Data period: 1991-2020. Source: Climate normals 1991-2020 (WMO / national meteorological services, via Wikipedia climate tables) · Wikipedia compilation: CC BY-SA 4.0; original observations have source-specific termsCompare with another city →Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m)
40 km
Distance to high terrain does not establish access to hiking trails, ski lifts or mountain transport.
Data period: 2024. Limited confidence. Source: Derived distance to mountains (>1500 m), from public elevation/peak data · Mixed elevation/OSM source terms; no single public-domain grantCompare with another city →Average annual temperature
9.9 °C
Long-term average including days and nights. Use the monthly breakdown to choose dates; this is not a weather forecast.
Data period: 1991-2020. Source: Climate normals 1991-2020 (WMO / national meteorological services, via Wikipedia climate tables) · Wikipedia compilation: CC BY-SA 4.0; original observations have source-specific termsCompare with another city →Annual sunshine hours
1,698 hours/year
Data period: 1991-2020. Source: Climate normals 1991-2020 (WMO / national meteorological services, via Wikipedia climate tables) · Wikipedia compilation: CC BY-SA 4.0; original observations have source-specific termsCompare with another city →Nearest listed airport (straight-line distance)
10 km
Straight-line distance to a listed airport, not transfer time or confirmation of scheduled flights. Check the airport serving your actual route before booking.
Data period: 2024. Source: OurAirports — airport locations · Public domainCompare with another city →Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre
1,641 €/month
Existing-contract median rent
A dated reference for a one-bedroom home in the centre, not a current listing. Compare actual properties, deposits, utilities and neighbourhoods before setting your budget.
Data period: 2022-2024. Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS) — Structural rent statistics, table T 09.03.03.42, avg NET rent 2-room · Swiss FSO product-specific terms; exact reuse licence unverifiedCompare with another city →Switzerland: the wider context
These are country-level figures, not measurements of Zurich. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.
See 8 national indicators
Income level — GNI per capita, PPP (gross)
101,690 international dollars (PPP)
Purchasing-power-adjusted national income per person is not a salary or take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: World Bank — GNI per capita, PPP (NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Fixed broadband / internet quality
88.4 pct_hh_vhcn
Data period: 2024. Source: Eurostat — Broadband internet coverage by technology (isoc_cbt) · Eurostat attribution reuse termsCompare with another city →Healthcare / health outcome (life expectancy at birth)
84.1 years
Life expectancy describes population health outcomes; it does not measure the quality or availability of a particular hospital.
Data period: 2023. Source: Eurostat — Life expectancy at birth (tps00205 / demo_mlexpec) · Eurostat attribution reuse termsCompare with another city →Overall tax burden (taxes + social contributions, % of GDP)
27.8 % of GDP
Taxes and social contributions as a share of the economy, not your personal income-tax rate.
Data period: 2024. Source: Eurostat — Main national accounts tax aggregates (gov_10a_taxag) · Eurostat attribution reuse termsCompare with another city →Intentional homicide rate
0.5 per 100,000 people
Homicide rates are a narrow safety indicator. They do not describe petty crime or the safety of an individual neighbourhood.
Data period: 2022. Source: Eurostat — Police-recorded offences by category (crim_off_cat) · Eurostat attribution reuse termsCompare with another city →Air quality — annual mean PM2.5
10.7 µg/m³
Data period: 2017. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Comparative price level (household consumption)
173 (EU average = 100)
Data period: 2024. Source: Eurostat — Price level indices, household final consumption (tec00120 / prc_ppp_ind_1) · Eurostat attribution reuse termsCompare with another city →Education system (national)
154.4 points (0–188)
Data period: 2025. Estimate. Source: World Bank HCI+ education pillar (2025) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Other places to compare in Switzerland
What to check before deciding
Comparable figures are not available here for: Net annual earnings (single, no children); Household electricity price (band DC, all taxes); English / language accessibility. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.
Compare Zurich with other cities
Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.
All maintained comparisons →