Costs of heat pumps in Switzerland
Costs for a heat pump
Heat pump costs depend on whether you're replacing an old system or installing a new one, as well as the installation location. Air-to-water systems are cheaper and easier to install, while geothermal systems require higher upfront investment but offer greater efficiency and lower long-term operating costs.
Heating system cost comparison
Table: Figures for an average installation with 150 m² energy reference area (e.g., single-family house) and 22,000 kWh energy demand (= 2,600 l heating oil)
Funding for heat pumps
To promote more efficient heating, Swiss cantons and municipalities actively support the adoption of heat pump heating systems. Therefore, numerous subsidies are available for the installation of heat pumps.
What kind of support can I expect?
Depending on the canton and municipality, heat pumps are subsidised with contributions of several thousand francs, especially when replacing an oil or gas heating system.
Check local energy subsidies on Energy Francs using your postcode.
Tax deduction
Cantons and municipalities (Buildings Programme) support heat pump installations with subsidies and tax benefits. Depending on the project type, investments can be up to 100% tax-deductible.
Request a free, no-obligation quote now
Contact us and receive a concrete offer for the right heat pump.
Guide
Heat pump costs: what really drives the figures
The purchase price is only part of the answer. What counts is what the heating system costs over twenty years, and on that measure the heat pump comes out ahead despite costing more to buy.
Purchase, running costs and maintenance compared
The table above shows the three systems for a single-family home with an energy reference area of 150 m² and a heat demand of 22'000 kWh, which corresponds to around 2'600 litres of heating oil. The oil heating system is the cheapest to buy at around CHF 23'000, but every year it costs around CHF 2'640 for energy and around CHF 780 for maintenance.
The air-to-water heat pump costs around CHF 36'500 and needs around CHF 1'210 of energy a year, the ground-source heat pump around CHF 49'500 at around CHF 940. Both are much lower on maintenance. Over its service life, this is how the heat pump earns back the higher purchase price.
What moves the price up or down
Two houses with the same heat demand can receive very different quotes. These points make the difference.
- The heat source. A borehole needs drilling, and the drilling costs depend on the depth and on the ground.
- The flow temperature needed. A house with underfloor heating manages with lower temperatures than one with old radiators, which brings down both the output required and the electricity consumption.
- The removal work. The old oil heating, the tank and the chimney have to be taken out or decommissioned.
- Where the unit is placed. Indoors, outdoors or as a split unit, plus wall openings, the foundation and noise protection measures.
- The electrical installation. Connection, fuses and, depending on the output, an adjustment to the house connection.
Working out the running costs properly
The annual electricity costs are the heat demand divided by the seasonal performance factor (Jahresarbeitszahl), multiplied by your electricity tariff. The seasonal performance factor says how many kilowatt hours of heat the system makes from one kilowatt hour of electricity. It depends on the heat source, the flow temperature and the settings, not just on the unit.
A solar system on your own roof lowers this bill, because part of the electricity is no longer bought at the grid tariff. In a single-family home, a heat pump uses around 3'000 to 4'500 kWh of electricity a year.
What you end up paying yourself
Two items come off the quoted amount. Cantons and municipalities support the switch through the Buildings Programme (Gebäudeprogramm), especially when an oil, gas or electric heating system is replaced. And replacing a heating system counts as property maintenance, so it can be deducted from your taxes.
The order matters. The subsidy application must be submitted before the work begins, and some cantons require the approval first.
What to look for in the quote
A complete quote names the manufacturer and model, the calculated heat load of the building, the assumed seasonal performance factor, the sound power level of the outdoor unit, all the additional work and the payment schedule. If the heat load calculation is missing, the system has been guessed at rather than sized.
Frequently asked questions about costs
The questions that come up most often before the decision.
For a single-family home of 150 m², we estimate around CHF 36'500 for an air-to-water heat pump and around CHF 49'500 for a ground-source heat pump with a borehole. Subsidies and the tax deduction reduce the amount you pay yourself.
In our worked example, around CHF 1'210 for the air-to-water heat pump and around CHF 940 for the ground-source heat pump, compared with around CHF 2'640 for an oil heating system. On top of that comes maintenance, which is much lower for the heat pump.
It costs around CHF 13'000 more to buy and saves around CHF 270 of energy a year. Over twenty years that largely evens out, and the borehole lasts longer than the heat pump itself. Whether drilling is allowed at your location also comes into the decision in the end.
That depends on the canton and the municipality, and on which heating system you are replacing. Before the quote, we check what applies at your address and prepare the application.
Yes. The heat pump uses around 3'000 to 4'500 kWh of electricity a year, and solar power from your own roof is much cheaper than electricity from the grid. The match is best in spring and autumn.
Replacing an existing heating system counts as property maintenance and is deductible in almost all cantons, spread over several years if needed. For a new build, the deduction usually does not apply.
Our energy solutions
Photovoltaics
Make your property solar-powered.
Heat pump
They benefit from low heating costs.
Charging solution
Get started with electromobility.