SBLA Commercial location analysis · Switzerland

Opening a pharmacy in the canton of Zurich

Planning to open a pharmacy in the canton of Zurich? Here are the official figures for the cantonal market — then the analysis of your specific address. At canton level everything averages out; a lease is signed on a street.

Analyse an address →See the figures

The canton of Zurich in figures

Population1’620’020inhabitants across 160 municipalities
Average taxable income72’747 CHFper taxpayer
Median age44.4years · 62.8 % aged 20–64
Reference commercial rent21.30 CHFper m² per month
Jobs — retail trade63’600positions in the canton
Pharmacies in Switzerland1’812businesses
National density4’995inhabitants per business
Average municipal tax multiplier105.8 %(2025)
Projected population 20351’759’181inhabitants (+7.5 %)

How many pharmacies are there in the canton of Zurich?

Switzerland has 1’812 businesses in this activity (NOGA 4773, STATENT 2023) for 9’051’029 inhabitants — one business per 4’995 inhabitants. Applied to the population of the canton of Zurich (1’620’020 inhabitants), that national ratio would correspond to roughly 324 businesses.

This is a density benchmark, not a local count: competition is never evenly spread. SBLA counts the businesses actually present, hectare by hectare, around a given address — using STATENT and OpenStreetMap.

The local market

Average taxable income in the canton of Zurich stands at 72’747 CHF (above the Swiss average of 62’152 CHF). Median age is 44.4, and 62.8 % of the population is aged 20–64 — the bracket that drives most consumer spending.

A Swiss household spends an average of 64.75 CHF per month on “Pharmaceuticals and medical supplies” (Household Budget Survey, FSO 2023). Across the canton’s 728’411 households, that is a theoretical market of roughly 47.2 million CHF per month.

Setup costs

At 21.30 CHF/m²/month (FSO 2024), a 90 m² retail space costs around 1’917 CHF per month excluding charges. The canton’s average municipal tax multiplier is 105.8 % (2025) — it varies widely between municipalities, and that gap feeds straight through to the bottom line. It is not comparable across cantons: each canton applies its multiplier to its own tax base.

Snapshot of 17 July 2026: 1’354 commercial spaces were advertised for rent in the canton of Zurich.

Footfall and access

The canton’s busiest railway stations are Zürich HB (449’800), Winterthur (103’800), Zürich Oerlikon (86’200) (passengers per day, SBB 2025). Station footfall is a good proxy for a town-centre shop; SBLA additionally measures public-transport quality (ARE classes) and road traffic (ASTRA) at the analysed address.

The canton recorded 9’640 new dwellings in 2023 — a growth signal for the resident customer base.

0–100 Viability score
  • Market
  • Population
  • Access
  • Momentum

What you get

Every address analysed receives a 0–100 score, broken down into four pillars weighted by type of business.

  • Catchment area — population and purchasing power genuinely reachable around the address, hectare by hectare (STATPOP FSO).
  • Competition — businesses in the same activity nearby (STATENT and OpenStreetMap, cross-checked with strike-offs from the ZEFIX commercial register).
  • Footfall & access — public transport, stations and road traffic nearby.
  • Setup costs — reference rent, charges and municipal taxes.
  • Verdict in figures — a 0–100 viability score and a detailed report, exportable as PDF.
Analyse an address →

How it works

  1. You enter an address

    The exact address of the space and the intended activity — not just a municipality.

  2. SBLA combines the data

    Population hectare by hectare, competition, transport, rents, taxation: some thirty official, dated indicators.

  3. You get a verdict

    A 0–100 viability score, a competition map and a report you can export as PDF.

Where to open in the canton of Zurich?

The most populous municipalities offer the largest catchment — and the densest competition. Start the analysis directly on one of them:

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to rent premises for a pharmacy in the canton of Zurich?

The reference commercial rent in the canton of Zurich is 21.30 CHF/m²/month (FSO 2024). For a 90 m² space that is roughly 1’917 CHF per month excluding charges. Actual rent varies widely with location: a high street and an out-of-town site can differ threefold.

How many pharmacies are there in Switzerland?

1’812 businesses in 2023 (STATENT, FSO), one per 4’995 inhabitants. Applied to the population of the canton of Zurich, that ratio would correspond to about 324 businesses.

Is the canton of Zurich a growing market?

The FSO projects 1’759’181 inhabitants in 2035 against 1’635’800 in 2026, i.e. +7.5 %. The canton also recorded 9’640 new dwellings in 2023.

Which are the most populous municipalities in the canton of Zurich?

Zürich (436’551 inhabitants), Winterthur (120’376 inhabitants), Uster (36’563 inhabitants). SBLA analyses any address in the canton, including smaller municipalities where competition is often lighter.

Is the analysis free?

Yes. Enter an address and the intended activity: SBLA returns a 0–100 viability score, some thirty sourced indicators and a competition map, exportable as PDF.

Ready to test an address?

The analysis is free and takes under a minute.

Analyse an address →

Other activities in the canton of Zurich

Pharmacies in the other cantons

The other side

Sources and vintages

Population and age: STATPOP 2024 (FSO). Taxable income: FTA 2022. Businesses: STATENT 2023 (FSO). Jobs by branch: STATENT (FSO). Rents: FSO 2024. Municipal taxation: FTA 2025. Population projections: FSO, reference scenario. Station footfall: SBB 2025. Household budget: FSO 2023. Every figure on this page is recomputed at each publication.