Rents in Zurich have risen 96 percent in 25 years

A survey by real estate consultancy Wüest Partner has revealed that rent prices in both the canton and the city of Zurich have reached their highest levels ever. Rent prices in the city have risen by a staggering 96 percent in 25 years. 

Rents in Zurich city and canton reach record highs

A recent survey by Wüest Partner has highlighted just how much rent prices in Zurich have changed over the past 25 years. The real estate consultancy analysed the asking rent index, which is an indicator that measures changes in rent prices over time by tracking the amounts that landlords advertise properties for.

Since 2000, the price of renting an apartment or house in canton Zurich has risen by 68 percent. The asking rent index rose from 84,4 in 2000 to 141,8 in 2025, reports 20 Minuten. The price increase is even more extreme in the city of Zurich. The asking rent index has risen by 96 percent from 86,0 in 2000 to 168,9 in 2025. 

Even when inflation is factored in, rent prices in the city are 44 percent higher than 25 years ago, and in the canton they are 21 percent higher.

Difference in rent prices between Zurich city and canton

When comparing the rent price increase between the canton and the city of Zurich, renting in the city in 1999 was only 1,9 percent more expensive than in the canton. In 2025, it is almost 20 percent more expensive to live in the city centre than elsewhere in the canton. 

Zurich cantonal councillor Doris Meier (FDP) told 20 Minuten that the main reason for the price increase is that “demand has significantly exceeded supply for years [...] Zurich is economically attractive, growing rapidly, and attracting many people”. 

To address the growing housing shortage and increasing rent prices in Zurich, the government previously promised to spend 300 million Swiss francs on the construction of affordable housing. Proposals have even been put forward to give long-term residents priority access to new homes, as some argue new homes are becoming unaffordable for locals due to internationals with high salaries moving to the city.