Jura is the cheapest place to live in Switzerland On the flip side, it was Switzerland's youngest canton, Jura, which had the cheapest average rent in 2021 at 961 Swiss francs a month.

While "inexpensive" is a relative term in the world's most expensive country, the city of Glarus (the capital of the canton of Glarus) is frequently cited as the least expensive urban center in Switzerland. For a larger, more well-known city, Neuchâtel and Fribourg consistently offer lower costs for housing, dining, and local services compared to the global hubs of Zurich or Geneva. In 2026, many budget-conscious travelers and students are looking toward Sion in the canton of Valais, which benefits from lower regional taxes and a lower cost for fresh local produce due to its proximity to major agricultural zones. Another "affordable" contender is Schaffhausen, which offers a high quality of life with significantly lower rents than nearby Zurich. If you are looking for the absolute lowest cost of living for a long-term stay, the French-speaking canton of Jura and its capital, Delémont, often feature the lowest apartment prices and utility costs in the country. However, even in these "cheaper" cities, visitors should still expect prices to be higher than in almost any other European nation, particularly for services and restaurant meals.