Asking rents rise in April

In April, asking rents in Switzerland rose again, both compared to the previous month and with April 2025. This applies to the majority of cantons as well as the cities surveyed; in one case, there was even a double-digit increase compared to the previous year. This is shown by the latest figures from the Homegate Rent Index.

The Homegate Rent Index for asking rents is compiled by the property marketplace Homegate in collaboration with Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). It measures the monthly, quality-adjusted change in rental prices for new and re-let flats based on current market offers. Compared to the previous month, the index increased by 0,4 points in April and now stands at 133,5 points (up 0,3%). Compared to the previous year, asking rents have risen by 2,4% across Switzerland.

Changes across the cantons
Whilst in recent months an unusually large number of cantons had reported a (slight) decline in advertised rents, advertised prices rose in the vast majority of cantons in April. This is most evident compared to the previous month in the cantons of Nidwalden (up 3,8%), Uri (up 2,8%) and Geneva (up 1,3%). At the other end of the scale, the canton of Schwyz recorded an equally significant decline of 2,5%. Here, the annual trend is also below the Swiss average (up 2,2%). Nidwalden, however, once again stands out in this comparison with April 2025: Asking rents there have risen by 11% over the last twelve months, followed by a wide margin, by Uri (up 6,6%) and Zug (6,2%).

Change in the cities
The ratio for the surveyed cities in April 2026 was six to two. Asking rents declined last month only in Bern (down 1,1%) and St. Gallen (down 0,4%). They increased most significantly in Lausanne (up 2,0%), Lugano (up 1,4%), and Zurich (up 1,1%). The year-on-year comparison would show a ‘zero change’, as advertised rents have risen across the board by up to 6,7% (Lugano) in the cities surveyed.

Method of quality adjustment
The development of asking rents in Switzerland is adjusted for the different quality, location and size of the flats. The advantage of this so-called hedonic method is that the real rental price development for new and re-let flats is reflected on Homegate. The Homegate Rent Index is the oldest quality-adjusted rent index in Switzerland and is considered a reference source for real estate professionals to determine the price of rental properties.