Rents up 3.1 per cent since 2024 – a typical flat costs CHF 1,690

The city statistics office’s 2026 rent survey shows a slower rise than in 2022–2024, but large gaps: non-profit or not, new build or long-running lease, old town or Affoltern.

City statistics office Whole city Housing

Since 2022, the city statistics office has estimated the rents of all existing leases every two years. All figures are net rents, excluding service charges.

The key numbers

  • Per square metre, rents rose by 3.1 per cent from 2024 to 2026, faster than consumer prices in the city (+1.2 per cent). From 2022 to 2024 the rise was 6.5 per cent.
  • A typical flat (75 square metres) costs about CHF 1,690 a month in 2026: about CHF 50 more than two years ago and CHF 150 more than four years ago.
  • A typical non-profit flat (e.g. a housing cooperative) costs about CHF 1,150; a for-profit one CHF 1,990. The gap: CHF 840 a month. Statistically, rents rose equally fast in both.
  • New build vs. long lease: in a new for-profit building, the typical flat costs about CHF 2,910; with a lease of three to ten years, about CHF 2,090. The longer a lease has run, the lower the rent.

By neighbourhood

In the for-profit market, flats per square metre are most expensive in the old town (Altstadt), Riesbach and Oberstrass, and cheapest in Affoltern, Leimbach and Schwamendingen. A typical flat in the old town costs about CHF 1,200 a month more than in Affoltern. Oerlikon and Wiedikon are closest to the city average. Since 2024, rents rose most in Oberstrass and least in Affoltern.

The city’s online tool (in German) lets you compare rents for your own neighbourhood, number of rooms and length of lease.

Primary sources