Milan vs Zurich
On balanced weights, Zurich comes out ahead: 67 against 60 out of 100, mostly on clean air and research output. Your own weights, salary and household can change the answer; every figure below names its source.
Make it yours: compare Milan and Zurich with your own numbers
The verdict on default settings
The lines that move the score most: clean air (Zurich, +6.2 points); research output (Zurich, +3.3 points); dry days (Milan, +1.7 points).
Balanced weights are the app's starting point, not a judgement: weights are set by you. Where a city lacks a figure, it gets the average score of the two on that line, so missing data neither helps nor hurts.
Line by line
| Line | Milan | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Money left each monthAfter tax, rent and everyday spending, what do you keep? | Add your rentWorld Development Indicators (country) | money here is partial: it leaves out health insurance premium bought outside pay (add yours, a month)World Development Indicators (country) |
| Cost of livingWhat does a month cost you there, rent included? | Add your rentWorld Development Indicators (country) | money here is partial: it leaves out health insurance premium bought outside pay (add yours, a month)World Development Indicators (country) |
| Nice daysHow many days a year are dry, mostly clear and feel the way you like? | 55 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 41 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Winter daylightHow long is the shortest day of the year? | 8 h 42 min | 8 h 27 min |
| SunshineHow many hours of sunshine in a year? | 2,063 h a yearWMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 | 1,694 h a yearWMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 |
| Dry daysHow many days a year does it rain? | 119 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 163 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Clean airHow much fine dust (PM2.5) is in the air over a year? | 20.4 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) | 7.6 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) |
| SafetyHow rare is violent death (homicides per 100,000 people a year)? | 0.6 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) | 0.6 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Long, healthy livesHow long do people live there? | 84.0 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) | 84.4 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Health costsWhat does your household pay for health care itself each month? | €56 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) | €193 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Childcare costsWhat does full-time childcare cost you each month, after public support? | no child of childcare age | no child of childcare age |
| Paid leave for parentsHow many weeks of fully paid leave do a mother and a father get between them? | 38 weeks (mother 32, father 6)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) | 9 weeks (mother 8, father 1)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) |
| HappinessHow do people there rate their own lives, 0 to 10? | 7.10 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country) | 7.70 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country) |
| Research outputHow much research and invention happens around you, per resident? | 66 of 100OpenAlex institutions | 81 of 100OpenAlex institutions |
| Time difference from homeHow many hours apart are the clocks there and at home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Flight homeHow long is a nonstop flight home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Airport nearbyHow far is the nearest major airport? | 7 kmOurAirports airports | 10 kmOurAirports airports |
| Public transportWhat share of commuters take the bus, tram, metro or train? | 23 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 60 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Rail and metro stationsHow many train and metro stations are within 10 km of the centre? | 154 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 80 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Short commutesHow long does the average journey to work take? | 35 minutesUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 40 minutesUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Cycle networkHow many km of cycle paths and separated cycle tracks are there per km² of land around the centre? | 1.76 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 0.79 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Everyday needs on footFrom what share of streets are a food shop, a pharmacy, a school, a park and a stop all within about 15 minutes' walk? | 100 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 98 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Walking and cycling to workWhat share of commuters walk or cycle to work? | 13.0 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 11.7 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Quick way out by bikeHow far does a cyclist ride from the centre before the dense city ends? | 4.7 km, about 19 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics | 2.9 km, about 12 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics |
| Near the seaHow far is the sea? | 118 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) | 325 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) |
| Near the mountainsHow far are the mountains (ground 1,000 m above the city)? | 41 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data | 31 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data |
| Green spaceHow much of the land around the centre is park, wood or other green space? | 36.5 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 27.4 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Fast internetHow fast are typical internet connections? | 29 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) | 76 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) |
| English spokenWhat share of people speak English? | 34 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) | 45 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) |
| International crowdWhat share of residents were born abroad? | 17.0 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 44.4 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| DoctorsHow many doctors are there per 1,000 people? | 4.2 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) | 4.5 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) |
| JobsWhat share of people who want work cannot find it? | 6.4 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) | 4.9 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Graduates aroundWhat share of adults hold a degree or another qualification above school level? | 24.2 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 60.8 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Developers aroundHow many people per 1,000 residents name the city as their location on GitHub? | 12.3 per 1,000GitHub user search | 30.8 per 1,000GitHub user search |
| Clean governmentHow well is corruption kept out of public life? | 0.58 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) | 1.98 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) |
| Politics, left to rightHow close is the way the place votes to where you stand, from left to right? | no data | centre, 4.7 of 10; say where you standPolitical position from election results |
| Abortion lawHow close is the law on ending a pregnancy to the one you want? | on request, 10 weeks or later; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country) | on request, 10 weeks or later; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Same-sex couples in lawHow close is the law on same-sex couples to the one you want? | civil union or partnership; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Founders Running ClubIs there a Founders Running Club chapter? | no chapterFounders Running Club communities | a chapterFounders Running Club communities |
| Coworking spacesHow many coworking spaces are within 10 km of the centre? | 33 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 17 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Climbing gymsHow many climbing gyms are within 10 km of the centre? | 10 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 9 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Swimming poolsHow many public pools are within 10 km of the centre? | 43 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 52 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Beach daysHow many days a year are hot, sunny and dry enough for the beach or a pool? | 33 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 17 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Run or ride daysOn how many days is there a dry, calm, cool-to-mild window for a run or a ride? | 248 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 245 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few muggy daysHow many days a year is the air sticky with humidity? | 36 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 9 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few grey daysHow many days a year is the sky overcast through the day? | 122 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 171 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Cool nights for sleepingHow many nights a year stay above 20 °C? | 42 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 1 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few heat-stress daysHow many days a year feel 32 °C or hotter? | 49 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 11 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few snow daysHow many days a year bring fresh snow? | 2 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 18 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few windy daysHow many days a year are windy through the day? | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
Who may move where depends on your passports: see each city's page, or add your household in the app.
Money on €60,000 a year
| A month | Milan | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | €3,130 | €4,146 |
| Rent and everyday spending | not known | not known |
| Left each month | not known | not known |
Assumed: one person, €60,000 gross a year, renting a one-bedroom home, and everyday spending of €1,200 a month in Lisbon scaled by each country's price level. These are the app's defaults; change any of them there.
Climate month by month
| Month | Milan | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 to 8 °C | −2 to 5 °C |
| Feb | 3 to 12 °C | −0 to 8 °C |
| Mar | 5 to 15 °C | 1 to 11 °C |
| Apr | 8 to 18 °C | 4 to 14 °C |
| May | 13 to 22 °C | 9 to 18 °C |
| Jun | 19 to 29 °C | 14 to 25 °C |
| Jul | 20 to 30 °C | 15 to 25 °C |
| Aug | 20 to 30 °C | 15 to 25 °C |
| Sep | 16 to 25 °C | 12 to 20 °C |
| Oct | 12 to 20 °C | 8 to 16 °C |
| Nov | 5 to 12 °C | 3 to 8 °C |
| Dec | 2 to 8 °C | −0 to 5 °C |
Air temperature in the shade, average daily low to high (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), 2021-2025).
Questions this page answers
Is it cheaper to live in Milan or Zurich?
Everyday prices are lower in Italy: 72.9 against 128.2 on the World Bank price level index (United States = 100, 2025). Open rent data is missing for Milan and Zurich, so the full monthly cost needs your own rent.
How much do you take home on €60,000 a year in Milan and in Zurich?
About €37,555 a year in Milan (Italy 2026 tax rules) and CHF 45,989 in Zurich (Switzerland 2026 tax rules), after income tax and employee social contributions.
Which is warmer, Milan or Zurich?
Milan is warmer: average daily highs of the air over the year are 19.0 °C against 14.9 °C in Zurich (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), Open-Meteo, 2021-2025).
Which has cleaner air, Milan or Zurich?
Zurich has cleaner air: an annual PM2.5 mean of 7.6 µg/m³ against 20.4 µg/m³ (WHO Ambient Air Quality Database; WHO guideline 5 µg/m³; 2024 and 2024).
Can a citizen of Italy live and work in Zurich without a visa?
Yes. Swiss-EU free movement rules let citizens of Italy live and work in Switzerland without a visa.
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Cite this page
Borgo, “Milan vs Zurich”, https://borgo.abcastor.com/compare/milan-it-vs-zurich-ch/, figures as of 2026-11-05, reference profile. Name the original source of any figure you quote.