A motor vehicle tax must be paid for a registered vehicle. The rates vary from canton to canton. In the case of the traffic tax in Zurich, a proportion of the price includes the engine capacity and the total weight. A discount on the road tax is granted if the vehicle has energy efficiency category A or B and emits less than 130 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometer. The individual road tax can be calculated online at the Road Traffic Office.

Car insurance protects you against financial losses. Liability insurance is compulsory in Switzerland and protects against personal injury and property damage to third parties. There is also partial and comprehensive insurance, which covers self-inflicted damage to the car. There are countless insurance companies with which you can insure your car. A price comparison can be made at Comparis. This depends on age, nationality, gender and number of years of driving license.

A mandatory highway vignette is compulsory in Switzerland and costs CHF 40 per year. This is available everywhere in Switzerland, such as at petrol stations etc. This vignette is a charge for the use of national roads (highways and roads).

The costs vary depending on what needs to be repaired on the car. As a lump sum, you can expect to pay from CHF 700 per year for two tire changes and possibly a service, MFK checks, etc. However, the larger and more expensive the car, the more expensive the service or car parts.

To keep the car in good condition, it should be cleaned and polished regularly. At the AMAG car wash in Uster (and other 82 locations), the car can be washed in a basic program for CHF 15 or one of the 5 other programs can be selected. At many service stations there are so-called vacuum cleaner stations where about three minutes of vacuuming cost CHF 2.

A parking space in the municipality where you live or parking spaces are very popular in the Zurich area, so it is advisable to look for a suitable parking space before buying a car. This is usually possible when renting an apartment, and blue zone cards can also be obtained from the municipality. A parking space varies depending on the region and costs on average between CHF 100 and CHF 300 per month.

The calculation of the fuel varies according to the use and consumption of the vehicle. In addition, fuel prices are subject to strong price fluctuations. Prices rise especially before public holidays, vacations, etc.

In Switzerland, you can expect higher fines for speeding or illegal driving. These start from as little as CHF 40. Calculations can be viewed here.

A total of around CHF 3,393.- can be expected.

A total of around CHF 4,548.- can be expected.

What does a car cost me per year? These two examples show the actual costs you can expect when buying a car. Factors such as age, gender, nationality and number of years of vehicle registration play a decisive role, especially when it comes to car insurance. It therefore makes sense to compare these costs and list them carefully, as in the example above. This allows the cost overview to be calculated per year and an approximate cost calculation to be made per month.