📅 Last updated: 2026-02-24

Cost of Living in Fribourg for a Single Professional (2026) – Salary, Rent, Taxes & Savings

Fribourg, Switzerland's bilingual city, offers professionals affordable living at the French-German language border. This assessment calculates your expected monthly expenses in this medieval university town. With a growing tech scene and excellent connectivity to Bern and Lausanne, Fribourg combines cultural richness with value. Our calculator estimates rent, taxes, health insurance, and daily costs.

With a gross salary of CHF 10’000, a single professional in Fribourg can expect to save CHF 4’059–CHF 5’259 per month, placing them above the Swiss urban comfort threshold.
Open Calculator

📊 Fribourg Cost Calculator Preview

Real calculator output for a single professional in Fribourg

Based on real Swiss cantonal tax logic, housing indices, and mandatory health insurance baselines.

📍 Fribourg 👤 Single Professional 💰 CHF 10’000/month
In Fribourg, fixed costs consume approximately 25% of a single professional's gross income, which is 2% lower than the Swiss average of ~27% (using Swiss Average as a reference baseline).
Gross Salary
CHF 10’000
Monthly income
Base salary input
Estimated Taxes
CHF 2’200 – CHF 3’400
22% – 34% rate
Derived from Fribourg cantonal logic
Housing
CHF 1’085
City center rent
Based on Fribourg rental index
Health Insurance
CHF 410
Mandatory coverage
Fribourg cantonal premium baseline
Living Costs
CHF 1’046
Food, transport, lifestyle
Weighted by local indices
Monthly Savings
CHF 4’059 – CHF 5’259
After all expenses
Net of taxes and costs
Taxes and Housing together account for approximately 72% of total costs in Fribourg. Moving to a lower-tax canton like Zug could increase monthly savings by CHF 228.
For a single professional in Fribourg, taxes represents the largest monthly expense at CHF 2’800, followed by housing at CHF 1’085. Canton Fribourg's high tax rates and affordable housing market create this cost structure.
Category Monthly Amount Context
Gross Monthly Salary CHF 10’000 Base salary input for single
Taxes (cantonal & federal) −CHF 2’200to−CHF 3’400 Canton Fribourg: 22%–34% rate
Rent (city center) −CHF 1’085 Fribourg market rate (1-bedroom)
Health Insurance −CHF 410 Fribourg base premium
Food & Groceries −CHF 353 Local price index × 1 occupants
Transport −CHF 68 Fribourg public transport pass
Utilities −CHF 150 Adjusted for 1 occupants
Lifestyle −CHF 475 Medium tier × Fribourg multiplier
Estimated Monthly Savings CHF 4’059toCHF 5’259 Net after all deductions

Small changes in rent or tax canton can shift monthly savings by several hundred CHF.

⚠️ Note: These estimates are derived from cantonal tax logic, local housing indices, and health insurance baseline models. Your actual costs depend on specific deductions, insurance choices, and lifestyle. Use our calculator for a personalized assessment with your exact inputs.

Why Professionals Choose Fribourg

Example Scenario: A professional earning CHF 10’000/month in Fribourg retains approximately CHF 4’059–5’259 after all expenses. The same salary in Zürich would retain CHF 3’194–4’194 — Fribourg offers CHF 965/month more (CHF 11’580/year).

Why Fribourg Is More or Less Expensive Than Other Swiss Cities

Understanding what makes Fribourg unique helps you evaluate if it's the right fit for your relocation.

Compared to Bern, Fribourg offers approximately CHF 528 higher monthly savings at the same gross salary. Compared to Lausanne, housing is lower but overall savings remain stronger.

🏛️

Tax Rates

For professionals weighing Fribourg against Swiss Average, Swiss Average offers lower taxes by approximately CHF 275/month. However, Fribourg may compensate through other factors like housing or lifestyle costs.

🏠

Housing Market

Fribourg vs Swiss Average housing: Fribourg enables CHF 193/month in housing savings compared to Swiss Average. This positions singles to save more while maintaining urban convenience.

🛡️

Health Insurance

Canton Fribourg vs Swiss Average: higher premiums than Swiss Average (CHF 410 vs CHF 383 base). Selecting the right plan tier within the canton structure directly impacts monthly budget.

🛒

Living Costs

Fribourg vs Swiss average: lower food costs than Swiss Average (98% vs 101% of baseline). While individual purchases differ modestly, cumulative grocery and dining expenses add CHF 50–150/month variance between Swiss cities.

🚆

Transport

Fribourg vs Swiss Average: slightly higher transport costs than Swiss Average (CHF 68 vs CHF 67). With excellent Swiss public transit, most professionals avoid car ownership—a decision that saves CHF 500–800/month versus driving.

Lifestyle & Entertainment

Fribourg vs Swiss Average: lower entertainment costs than Swiss Average (0.95× vs 1.02× multiplier). Professionals choosing Swiss Average for savings can reallocate CHF 78/month toward lifestyle upgrades or accelerated wealth building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fribourg is one of Switzerland's more affordable cities. A single earning CHF 10,000 can expect CHF 4,800-5,500 in monthly savings.
Single professionals spend CHF 4,100-4,700 monthly: taxes (CHF 2,200-3,400), rent (CHF 1,085), health insurance (CHF 410), and living costs (CHF 750).
A gross salary of CHF 7,000-9,000 monthly provides comfortable savings of CHF 3,500-5,500.
Canton Fribourg taxes are moderate at 22-37% depending on income.
Yes, slightly. Rent is CHF 300-500 lower and overall costs are 10-15% less.

Run Your Personalized Switzerland Budget Simulation

See how changing city, salary, and household type impacts your real monthly savings.

Start Free Calculator