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Property: In which Swiss cantons are homes the cheapest - and the most expensive?

The Local
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Property: In which Swiss cantons are homes the cheapest - and the most expensive?
Interlaken, Switzerland. Photo by Tranmautritam from Pexels

Property prices in the most expensive Swiss canton are four times that of the cheapest. Here's how each of Switzerland's 26 cantons rank.

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Despite its small size, Switzerland’s 26 cantons are incredibly diverse. This is true from language to culture - and with regard to wealth. 

A study completed by Zurich property firm Lazi and published in Swiss news outlet 20 Minutes shows the dramatic price difference from canton to canton. 

Each of Switzerland’s 26 cantons are ranked from first to last on the basis of how much it costs to buy a single family home. 

READ MORE: Where in Switzerland are the rents cheapest and most expensive? 

The average across Switzerland is a pricey CHF1,255,000 for a single family home, indicating how difficult it is for many people in Switzerland to get on the property ladder. 

As The Local Switzerland wrote about earlier in August, Switzerland has the highest percentage of renters in Europe and is the only country where more than 50 percent of homes are rented rather than owner-occupied. 

READ MORE: Why do so many Swiss prefer to rent rather than buy their own home?

The most expensive regions of Switzerland are the geographical centre, along with the larger cities of Geneva, Zurich and Basel. 

Rural cantons are comparatively cheap, however they are still expensive when it comes to prices in neighbouring countries. 

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Where in Switzerland are homes the cheapest?

The cheapest canton when it comes to buying a single family home in Switzerland is the north western canton of Jura. 

According to Lazi, buying a home in this canton will cost you CHF587,000. 

Glarus is slightly higher at CHF771,000, followed by Valais at CHF783,000. 

In a separate study looking at cost of living, Valais was also the cheapest canton to live in for a family. 

Cost of living: Which Swiss cantons are the most expensive? 

There were 11 more cantons where a home costs less than one million francs, Solothurn, Freiburg, Thurgau, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Ausserhoden, St Gallen, Neuchatel, Bern, Uri, Aargau and Ticino. 

The Swiss capital of Bern is in the middle of the rankings when it comes to average cost, which is relatively unusual in Europe for a capital city. (Although maybe it's not technically the capital). Photo by Alexandre Perotto from Pexels

Where in Switzerland are homes the most expensive?

The priciest canton for buying a single family home in Switzerland is Zug, where it’ll set you back an average of 2,109,000 francs. 

It is perhaps no surprise considering that Zug is also the canton in Switzerland which has the most millionaires, along with neighbouring Schwyz. 

READ MORE: Which Swiss canton has the most millionaires?

Geneva is the next most expensive canton where a house costs CHF2,093,000, followed by Zurich (CHF1,770,000). 

Basel City keeps the trend of cities being expensive, going in fourth place with an average cost of CHF1,748,000. 

Finally Schwyz - where there are 16 millionaires for every 1,000 taxpayers - is in fifth place with an average house price of 1,503,000. 

The full list

Zug: 2,109,000

Geneva: 2,093,000

Zurich: CHF1,770,000

Basel City: CHF1,748,000

Schwyz: 1,503,000

Vaud: 1,367,000

Basel Country: 1,331,000

Nidwalden: 1,310,000

Swiss average: 1,255,000

Lucerne: 1,178,000

Obwalden: 1,068,000

Graubünden: 1,028,000

Appenzell Innerrhoden: 1,000,000

Ticino: 999,000

Aargau: 989,000

Uri: 973,000

Bern: 960,000

Neuchatel: 941,000

St Gallen: 940,000

Appenzell Ausserhoden: 896,000

Schaffhausen: 889,000

Thurgau: 888,000

Freiburg: 859,000

Solothurn: 821,000

Valais: 783,000

Glarus: 771,000

Jura: 587,000

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Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
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Anonymous 2021/08/06 09:01
The advantage of renting is that the owners are responsible for upkeep and repairs,

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