Towns people move to from Zurich
Winterthur
- Official rents: a 3-room flat averages CHF 1,489 net a month, a 2-room flat CHF 1,294 and a 4-room flat CHF 1,745 (existing leases, BFS, 2022 to 2024 combined); in the city of Zurich the same table shows CHF 1,761, 1,537 and 2,085
- InterCity trains to Zurich HB
- Its own city life, a large university of applied sciences (ZHAW) and a big job market
Schlieren and Dietikon
- Limmat valley, S-Bahn to Zurich HB and the Limmattalbahn tram
- A lot of new building in recent years
- No official rent figures per flat size; compare listings
Wallisellen
- Glatt valley, S-Bahn to Zurich HB and Zurich Airport nearby
- Offices and shopping around Glattpark and Glattzentrum
- No official rent figures per flat size; compare listings
Baden (Aargau)
- InterCity trains to Zurich HB, a historic old town, large employers
- No official rent figures per flat size; compare listings
Inside the city
If you would rather stay in Zurich, the city's rent survey shows the lowest median rents for private 3-room flats in Kreis 12 (CHF 1,576), Kreis 11 (CHF 1,801) and Kreis 10 (CHF 1,804), against CHF 1,950 for the whole city (Statistik Stadt Zürich, 2026). See the cheapest Zurich Kreis.
Taxes
Income tax differs by canton and commune, so a lower rent outside Zurich can come with a different tax bill. The Federal Tax Administration's tax calculator lets you compare communes.
Search these towns in one place
aptari shows listings from Homegate, ImmoScout24, Flatfox and cooperative websites in one open feed, so you can compare Winterthur, Schlieren, Dietikon, Wallisellen and Baden side by side and filter by rent budget and rooms. Save your Tenant Passport once and apply with one click on listings from aptari partner agencies (on other Swiss portals and at cooperatives, Apply with Aptari prepares your message wherever the button shows, and you send it), with a Match Score that tells you which of these flats you fit. One-click apply starts as soon as partner agencies list on aptari; none have yet.