Zurich

Zurich’s housing crisis is driven by a severe imbalance between high demand and limited supply, resulting in the lowest vacancy rates in Switzerland—about 0.07% to 0.48%. This level of scarcity is unprecedented in Western Europe, meaning nearly all available housing is occupied. Despite population growth, new construction remains far below demand, with just a 1–2% annual increase in housing stock and persistent regulatory obstacles. As a result, competition for apartments is intense, with frequent stories of dozens of applicants per listing and many families facing evictions due to large-scale renovations.

The housing shortage affects a broad cross-section of Zurich’s population. Families disproportionately suffer, especially those seeking mid-sized apartments (three- or four-room), as these are most in demand. Young adults, couples moving in together, immigrants, and lower-income households struggle the most to secure affordable accommodation. Even middle-class residents are affected, as rent and purchase prices remain out of reach for many. Some inhabitants are forced to relocate to surrounding areas, leading to urban sprawl. Overall, the crisis impacts renters more acutely—who constitute 73% of Zurich’s inhabitants—while owners continue to benefit from rising property values and lower occupancy costs.

The acute shortage and high costs intensify vulnerabilities across social groups, making Zurich one of Europe’s most strained urban housing environments.

Zurich’s housing market faces high demand, record low vacancy rates, and sharply rising prices. Only about 27% of Zurich residents own their homes, while 73% rent—much higher than the national ownership average due to very high property prices and a well-developed rental sector. As of early 2025, the median price to buy an apartment in Zurich is approximately 21,110 CHF per square meter, which is about 21,600 euros. Renting averages between 25–35 euros per square meter/month for new leases; older contracts may be lower but are rarely available.

Publicly owned and nonprofit cooperative housing play a crucial role. The city has a long-term policy aiming for at least one third of all housing to be non-profit (including cooperatives) by 2050. Currently, cooperatives operate over 42,000 apartments in Zurich, offering rents 20–40% below market rates. Public housing in Zurich is not synonymous with social housing: public or cooperative housing is open to the general public and focuses on cost-based (non-profit) rents and democratic governance. Social housing, by contrast, targets households with special needs or low incomes, and is only a fraction of the total nonprofit stock. In Zurich’s model, most subsidized or cost-controlled housing is managed by cooperatives rather than direct municipal providers, blending inclusivity and affordability.

Zurich's city administration addresses affordable and sustainable housing through a comprehensive multi-pronged approach led by Chief Financial Officer Daniel Leupi since 2013. The city has set an ambitious long-term target to maintain at least one-third of all housing as non-profit by 2050, building on the existing cooperative housing foundation.

The administration invested approximately 307 million euros in affordable housing for 2023-2024, focusing on land acquisition, new construction, and renovation of existing housing associations. This substantial investment has already yielded concrete results, with nearly 830 new non-profit apartments created through the Leutschenbach, Letzi, Hard, and Hardau housing estates.

Key programs include the newly established Housing Fund, which provides financial contributions to non-profit developers for land purchases and construction projects. This fund enables lower rents through depreciation contributions despite rising market prices. The city has also strengthened its acquisitions department, successfully purchasing 24 properties in recent years to expand the municipal housing portfolio.

The Hardau housing estate exemplifies the city's commitment to both affordability and sustainability. This 122-apartment development, ready for occupancy in summer 2026, features cost-rent apartments where 4-room units cost approximately 1,894 euros monthly. Designed as a low-car estate without underground parking, it promotes sustainable living with 408 bicycle spaces and minimal car accommodation.

Additionally, Zurich has implemented a new transparent letting ordinance for its approximately 10,000 municipal apartments and established income limits for private affordable housing rentals, ensuring accessibility for middle and lower-income households while maintaining social cohesion.

In Zurich, a broad coalition of individuals and organizations has voiced the need to address the housing crisis and expand affordable, sustainable housing. Key figures working on these issues include Anna Schindler, head of urban development for the city, and Philippe Koch, a former lecturer at ZHAW who manages the city’s housing shortage taskforce, known in media as “Mister Housing”. Numerous housing cooperatives are central actors; the cooperative Mehr als Wohnen, with support from over 60 local cooperatives, exemplifies collaborative, affordable, community-oriented housing development.

Civil society groups such as the Wohndemo initiative have mobilized public demonstrations, bringing thousands to the streets to demand action against rising rents, luxury renovations, and displacement. These activist platforms often collaborate with housing cooperatives and social NGOs.

From academia, ETH Zurich has launched Think Earth and Swircular, pioneering projects for regenerative, circular construction using timber and digital tracking of building materials. ZHAW is also deeply involved via research and policy input. The real estate firm Implenia is notable for developing standardized, sustainable housing products in Zurich-Seebach.

Potential collaboration partners span academia (ETH Zurich, ZHAW), the real estate sector (Implenia), prominent housing cooperatives including Mehr als Wohnen, innovative construction startups (Swircular), and grassroots NGOs/activist groups (Wohndemo). This network combines technical expertise, policy innovation, activism, and industry capacity to tackle Zurich’s housing crisis and promote sustainable solutions.

Housing cooperatives in Zurich play a vital role in creating affordable, inclusive, and sustainable living amid a high-cost and low-vacancy market. As of 2021, about 27% of all housing units in Zurich are cooperative-owned, equating to around 34,500 apartments—making Zurich a European leader in the share of cooperative housing. While growth in cooperative units has slowed slightly, over 2,400 new units were added in three years, with a strong pipeline for further development.

Most cooperative housing is built on land owned by the organizations themselves, with only about 14% on leased land. Cooperative apartments are noticeably smaller and more efficiently used than private condos, averaging about 36 square meters per person. These apartments are managed under a cost-rent model, offering rents well below market rates and prioritizing community, ecological standards, and social mix. There remains a gap in supply, particularly for single-person households, and waiting lists continue to grow.

The city actively supports the sector through ongoing investments in land acquisition, construction, and renovation. Dedicated funding programs, transparent letting guidelines, and policies for moderate densification aim to expand and diversify cooperative housing, in line with Zurich’s goal for at least a third of all housing to be non-profit by 2050. Cooperative housing thus remains central to Zurich’s strategy for metropolitan social integration and affordability.