Despite current predictions for rents to fall in Switzerland over the course of 2022, the disparity in rent costs across the country remains stark. For housing in major cities in Switzerland, the difference in cost can range by thousands of Swiss francs.

St. Gallen and Biel / Bienne the cheapest places to rent in Switzerland

The new report from Comparis compared the cost of renting apartments in all 26 cantons and cities in Switzerland. They found that the cost of a large 100 square metre apartment could set renters back 3.820 Swiss francs a month in Geneva, 3.073 in Zurich and 2.850 in Lausanne. Meanwhile, a similar flat in St. Gallen would only set you back 2.004 Swiss francs a month, by far the cheapest in the country.

Geneva still took the top spot for medium-sized flats, followed by Zurich and Lausanne, with St. Gallen still being the cheapest. Smaller apartments of around 45 to 55 square metres saw Zurich ahead of the usual suspects of Geneva and Lausanne, with Biel / Bienne in Canton Bern being the cheapest.

Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich the most expensive places to rent

According to housing specialist Frédéric Papp, the housing shortage in Zurich and Geneva is fuelling the high cost, noting “Building more densely would create more affordable housing, but too little is done in these two cities.” He did concede that one of the reasons why prices in Geneva and Zurich are so expensive is due to the high number of jobs and international companies present in the city.

Overall, rents in Switzerland have increased by 12 percent in the past four years, according to the property finder Homegate. While some communities, like St. Gallen, have seen stable rents, prices in Zurich have become 6,6 percent more expensive than four years ago. Despite current predictions for a price fall, these regional differences will be unchanged for many years to come.