Enter your net income and get a realistic monthly budget in seconds, based on the 50/30/20 rule and adapted to Swiss costs like health insurance, rent and pillar 3a.
Salary after AHV/IV/EO, unemployment insurance and pension fund deductions.
Rent, health insurance, taxes, transport, groceries, insurance
Eating out, holidays, subscriptions, hobbies, shopping
Emergency fund, pillar 3a, ETF plan, debt repayment
How typical Swiss household costs split across a budget. Treat the percentages as a starting point and adjust them for your canton and situation.
Rent / housing Often higher in Zurich and Geneva | 25% | CHF 1’625 |
Health insurance Premium depends on canton and deductible | 8% | CHF 520 |
Taxes (set aside) Save monthly instead of a spring shock | 10% | CHF 650 |
Groceries & household Migros, Coop, Denner, Aldi | 12% | CHF 780 |
Transport GA, Half Fare or car costs | 5% | CHF 325 |
Lifestyle & leisure Restaurants, holidays, subscriptions | 20% | CHF 1’300 |
Saving & pillar 3a 2026 pillar 3a max: around CHF 7,258 | 20% | CHF 1’300 |
Get the fully formatted Swiss budget template: every category is set up, the amounts calculate automatically from your income, and you only fill in your real spending. Opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets.
The 50/30/20 rule splits your net income into three buckets: 50% for needs and fixed costs, 30% for lifestyle and 20% for saving. Swiss rent and health insurance are above average, so many households start closer to 60/20/20 and work their way towards 50/30/20.
In most cantons taxes are billed after the fact — set aside a fixed amount every month. Health insurance premiums rise almost every year, so review your deductible and provider each autumn. And plan for irregular costs such as dentist visits, Serafe, car servicing or holidays with a separate annual-costs account.
New to Switzerland? Budget for the rental deposit, moving costs, liability and household insurance, and health insurance — coverage is mandatory within three months of arrival. If you pay withholding tax, the tax share is already deducted from your salary, so you can lower that budget line.
A budget only works if it is maintained. Finch connects your Swiss bank accounts, categorises transactions automatically and shows each month whether you are on track — including net worth and pillar 3a.
20% of net income is the usual benchmark. Depending on your canton and rent, 10–15% is realistic — what matters most is a standing order on payday so it happens automatically.
The common rule of thumb is a maximum of one third of gross income. Most letting agencies ask for exactly this ratio when you apply for a flat.
Take your last tax bill, divide it by twelve and transfer that amount monthly to a separate tax account. With withholding tax, it is already deducted from your salary.
Employees with a pension fund can contribute around CHF 7,258 per year, roughly CHF 605 per month. Without a pension fund, 20% of earned income up to a higher cap applies.
Yes. The calculator and the CSV template are free and need no sign-up.
Finch connects your Swiss accounts and keeps your budget up to date for you. Download the app now.