Zurich vs St. Gallen
In short: taxes are lower in Zurich, rent is cheaper in St. Gallen and the health premium is lower in St. Gallen. All metrics in detail:
| Metric | Zurich | St. Gallen | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income tax (single, 80k) | CHF 7'945 | CHF 10'365 | ESTV · 2026 |
| Rent (avg) | CHF 1'768 | CHF 1'343 | BFS Strukturerhebung · 2024 |
| Health premium, standard model (adult) | CHF 619.43 | CHF 570.83 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Lowest health premium (adult) | CHF 368.92 | CHF 336.03 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Average health premium (adult) | CHF 477.08 | CHF 427.48 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Health premium saving potential (adult) | CHF 108.16 | CHF 91.45 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Premium subsidy recipients | 32.3% | 22.2% | BAG KVSTAT T 4.02 · 2025 |
| Premium subsidy per recipient | CHF 2'681 | CHF 2'690 | BAG KVSTAT T 4.08 · 2025 |
| Premium subsidy as share of premium | 61.5% | 68.3% | BAG KVSTAT T 4.08 · 2025 |
| Electricity price | 24.63 | 30.11 | ElCom · 2027 |
| Offences (per 1,000) | 68.05 | 48.32 | BFS PKS · 2024 |
| Violent offences (per 1,000) | 5.85 | 3.86 | BFS PKS · 2025 |
| Vacancy rate | 0.48% | 1.37% | BFS LWZ · 2025 |
| New dwellings (per 1,000) | 4.77 | 3.56 | BFS Bau- und Wohnbaustatistik · 2024 |
| Sunshine | 1'799.5 h | 1'701.4 h | MeteoSwiss · 2025 |
| Jobs | 1'149'866 | 317'461 | BFS STATENT · 2024 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.1% | SECO amstat · 2026 |
| Cross-border commuters (share of jobs) | 1.08% | 3.18% | BFS GGS/STATENT · 2024 |
| Median net income | CHF 62'050 | CHF 54'000 | ESTV dBSt · 2022 |
| Naturalisations (per 1,000 foreigners) | 22.7 | 14.3 | BFS/SEM Einbürgerungsstatistik · 2025 |
| Population growth | 0.8% | 0.74% | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2025 |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 9.17 | 8.87 | BFS BEVNAT · 2025 |
| Net migration (per 1,000) | 6.26‰ | 6.61‰ | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2025 |
| Foreign residents | 29.19% | 27.19% | BFS STATPOP · 2025 |
| Fiscal balance per capita | −CHF 283 | −CHF 341 | EFV FS-Modell · 2024 |
| Cantonal net debt per capita | CHF 2'512 | −CHF 741 | EFV Finanzstatistik · 2024 |
| Hospital beds (per 1,000) | 3.68 | 3.91 | BFS Krankenhausstatistik · 2024 |
| Cars per 1,000 residents | 471.42 | 549.91 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Electric share of car fleet | 5.36% | 4.05% | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Electric share of new cars | 19.83% | 21.82% | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Motorbikes per 1,000 residents | 78.65 | 86.14 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Goods vehicles per 1,000 residents | 43.5 | 57.35 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Gigabit broadband availability | 92.5% | 89.3% | BAKOM Breitbandatlas · 2026 |
| Public-transport accessibility (ARE index) | 8'882.3 | 2'007.3 | ARE Erreichbarkeit · 2017 |
| Solar power per resident | 565.9 | 1'361.9 | BFE Pronovo register · 2026 |
| Population in Energiestadt communes | 70.8% | 78% | BFE Energiestadt · 2025 |
| Organic farmland share | 17.87% | 14.56% | BFS Landwirtschaftsstatistik · 2025 |
| Municipal waste per resident | 258.21 | 252.8 | BFS Cercle Indicateurs · 2023 |
| Separately collected waste share | 29.94% | 27.84% | BFS Cercle Indicateurs · 2023 |
Frequently asked questions
Where are taxes lower: Zurich or St. Gallen?
In the canton of Zurich (CHF 7'945 per year).
Where is rent cheaper: Zurich or St. Gallen?
In the canton of St. Gallen (CHF 1'343 per month).