Get the best apartment to rent in Zurich
In Zurich, the whole flat isn't one option among several: it is what almost everyone wants. Two in three searches in the city point at an entire apartment — the reflection of an economic capital that receives executives, relocating families and dual-career couples. The traditional route demands an application dossier, group viewings and patience; Spotahome replaces it with furnished, verified apartments booked online, contract included, before you land.
With apartments for rent in Zurich, there is also news the traditional market almost never delivers: the average price has been drifting gently down since February. The two questions that order the search: how many bedrooms, and how far from the lake — or the office.
Apartment prices in Zurich
An entire apartment in Zurich costs around 5,240 CHF a month on average, according to the July 2026 figures from Spotahome's listings — with a trend working in your favour: since February the average has slid month after month without exception, close to 6% in total. Apartments concentrate around 65% of the city's demand: here the whole flat is the norm, not the luxury.
| Option | Average monthly price (July 2026) | Difference vs an entire apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared flat | 1,460 CHF | −3,780 CHF a month |
| Studio | 4,330 CHF | −910 CHF a month |
| Entire apartment | 5,240 CHF | — |
The table hides the decisive argument: the jump from studio to whole flat costs just 910 CHF — around 21% more for a separate bedroom, a real living room and space for two. As a couple, the maths turn outright favourable: about 2,620 CHF per person, far below what a studio costs for one — and two-bedroom flats in Zurich add an office or guest room. Every Spotahome flat comes furnished, and each listing states whether utilities (Nebenkosten) sit inside the price.
The calendar sides with planners: September offers the year's widest choice of apartments, and supply narrows month by month to January's minimum. In Zurich, a winter move means an autumn contract.
Source: Spotahome's own database of registered properties in Zurich. Updated: August 2026.
Where to rent an entire flat in Zurich
Seefeld (Kreis 8) is the gold coast: flats facing the lake, the Utoquai promenade for summer swims and the opera house next door. Executives and settled couples pay here for Switzerland's most desired addresses.
Enge (Kreis 2) combines lake, parks and the financial district: stately flats on tree-lined streets a step from Paradeplatz. For those who want the office and the jetty at equal distance.
Höngg (Kreis 10) climbs the hill towards ETH's Hönggerberg campus: village air, municipal vineyard included, and family flats with views. The green, quiet option without leaving the city.
Fluntern (Kreis 7), on the Zürichberg slope by the zoo, is the family classic: schools, forest at the back and tram 6 rolling down to the centre. Expensive silence, but silence.
Frequently asked questions about apartments in Zurich
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Zurich?
Budget around 5,240 CHF a month for an entire apartment in Zurich, the July 2026 average across Spotahome's listings — with the trend on your side: the average has slid gently since February, close to 6% in total. Lake and size open the spread: the gold coast and Kreis 1 clear it by far, while the north and west come in below. As a couple, the per-person cost lands far below a studio.
Are apartments in Zurich rented furnished?
Every apartment on Spotahome in Zurich comes furnished — beds, wardrobes, sofa and an equipped kitchen — an enormous shortcut in a city where traditional rentals are handed over bare and furnishing costs Swiss prices. Details vary by listing: check the equipment list for a washing machine — not always inside the flat in older buildings — plus dishwasher and a workspace.
Can I rent an apartment in Zurich for three to six months?
Mid-term is the standard format for Zurich apartments on Spotahome: most contracts run 3 to 11 months, one month is usually the minimum, and extending is often negotiable — flexibility the traditional Swiss market, with its open-ended leases and three-month notice periods, simply doesn't offer. Each listing publishes its own limits; filtering by your dates shows only realistic options.
What documents do I need to rent an apartment in Zurich?
To book an apartment in Zurich through Spotahome you need identification — a passport or European ID — and a payment method; the booking completes online, without being in Switzerland and without the classic local dossier with a debt-registry extract (Betreibungsauszug). Some landlords ask for proof of income or employment, and where that applies it is handled through the platform before check-in.
Can I rent a pet-friendly apartment in Zurich?
Renting with a pet in Zurich is surprisingly feasible: more than 80 of our rentals in the city accept animals — a remarkably high share of a stock of around 250 properties — and a search filter shows only those. The entire apartment is the simplest route, and few environments treat a dog better than a city with a lake, forest and trams that welcome them aboard. The listing states the specific conditions.