Gstaad vs Klosters: Which Swiss Alpine Village Suits Your Second Home?

Gstaad vs Klosters is a choice between two of Switzerland's quietest prestige villages, and the answer usually comes down to which airport you fly into and how seriously you ski. Gstaad is more expensive, closer to Geneva, French-and-German speaking, and built around village life, schools and summer as much as winter. Klosters is closer to Zurich, linked to Davos and one of the larger ski areas in the country, more private still, and noticeably cheaper per square metre.

Both villages share a temperament: no high-rise hotels, no nightlife scene to speak of, and a long tradition of discreet families returning for generations. That is why the people who consider one often consider the other.

At a Glance

Property Prices

According to UBS's Alpine Property Focus 2026, Gstaad is the most expensive Alpine destination for upmarket holiday apartments, at around CHF 25,000 per square metre. Davos/Klosters sits further down the top ten, which is otherwise made up of Swiss resorts such as St. Moritz, Verbier, Andermatt and Zermatt. The study measures upmarket apartments in each destination, not trophy chalets, so it is a benchmark rather than a price list.

The same study reported that Davos/Klosters was among the fastest-growing markets in the past year, with an increase of around 12.5 percent, alongside Andermatt and behind Crans-Montana. Switzerland as a whole rose around 6 percent.

Two cautions about comparing the numbers.

• Davos and Klosters are measured together. Davos is a larger town with a broad market, including many ordinary apartments. Prime Klosters chalets, on the slopes around the village and in Monbiel and Selfranga, trade at levels the combined figure does not show.
• Portal averages are a different measure. Listing portals publish average asking prices per square metre for the municipality, which mix every quality level. They are useful for trend, not for valuing a specific house.

For Gstaad's own numbers, see our Gstaad property prices 2026 analysis.

In practice, we see buyers who compare the two gain more space in Klosters for the same budget, while buyers who choose Gstaad accept paying more for its particular mix of village, schools and year-round social life.

Skiing

This is where Klosters has the clear edge for serious skiers.

Klosters connects directly to Davos through the Gotschna cable car and the Parsenn, one of the classic Swiss ski areas, with a top station on the Weissfluhgipfel at around 2,844 metres. The long runs down towards Klosters, and the off-piste and touring terrain around the Prättigau, are why many families first came. The separate Madrisa area above Klosters Dorf is gentler and suited to children.

Gstaad spreads its skiing across several valleys: Eggli, Wispile, the Rellerli and Hornberg sectors above Schönried and Saanenmöser, Rinderberg towards Zweisimmen, and more. The village is lower, at about 1,050 metres, so snow on the lower runs depends more on the season and on snowmaking. Glacier 3000 above the Col du Pillon adds high-altitude skiing. Skiing in Gstaad is pleasant and varied, but few people choose Gstaad for the skiing alone.

If skiing is the main reason for the house, Klosters is hard to beat. If skiing is one of several reasons, Gstaad's weaker hand matters less.

Getting There

• Gstaad is about two to two and a half hours by car from Geneva airport. The GoldenPass line connects it by train to Montreux and Interlaken. Saanen airfield, a few minutes from the village, handles private aircraft and helicopters. More in our guide to getting to Gstaad.
• Klosters is about two hours by car or train from Zurich airport, with the Rhaetian Railway running through the village and on to Davos. There is no airfield in the village itself; private flights typically land at Zurich or at smaller fields in the region and transfer by car or helicopter.

For families based in London, both work. For families in Geneva, Gstaad is close to a weekend commute. For families in Zurich, Munich or Milan, Klosters is often the easier choice.

Village Life and Character

Gstaad is a small village with an outsized international life. The Promenade, the Gstaad Palace, the Menuhin Festival in summer, polo, tennis, and a winter social calendar that peaks between Christmas and the end of February. Le Rosey's winter campus brings families with school-age children each January. Gstaad is also very much a summer place, with hiking, golf at Saanenmöser and cooler mountain air when the cities are hot. See summer in Gstaad.

Klosters is quieter and more inward-looking. It has long been associated with discreet British and Swiss families and with the British royal family, who have skied there for decades. There is less to do in the evenings and fewer occasions to be seen, which is precisely its appeal. Davos, ten minutes away, provides the town amenities and, for one week every January, the World Economic Forum, which fills the valley.

The honest summary: Gstaad is a place where people go to see each other quietly. Klosters is a place where people go not to be seen at all.

Schools

Gstaad has a significant advantage for families with children, with Le Rosey's winter campus, the John F. Kennedy International School in Saanen, and other options in the region. Our guide to international schools in Gstaad covers them.

Around Klosters, the main international option is in Davos, where boarding and day schooling with an international curriculum exist on a smaller scale. Families who need year-round international schooling in the mountains usually find more choice around Gstaad.

Buying Rules

The federal rules are the same in both villages.

• Lex Koller. Non-resident foreigners need a cantonal authorisation to buy a holiday home, within quotas allocated by Canton Bern for Gstaad and by Canton Graubünden for Klosters. Our guide to Lex Koller explains the process.
• Second Homes Act. Both municipalities have second-home shares well above the 20 percent threshold, so new second homes are heavily restricted and most transactions involve existing properties. See the Second Homes Act explained.

The cantonal tax systems differ. Bern and Graubünden each set their own income, wealth, property gains and inheritance taxes, and both offer lump-sum taxation to qualifying new residents. In Graubünden, municipalities also play a role in transfer taxes. If you are considering residence rather than a holiday home, a tax advisor should compare the two cantons for your situation, as the difference can be significant either way.

Which One Is Right for You?

Choose Gstaad if you fly into Geneva, you have children of school age, you want a house that works in summer as well as winter, and you value a social village life that remains understated.

Choose Klosters if you fly into Zurich, skiing is the heart of your mountain life, you want more space for your budget, and you prefer a village where very little happens in the evening.

Some families end up with a third answer. If Klosters appeals for its privacy but Gstaad's practicalities matter, the smaller villages around Gstaad, such as Lauenen or Gsteig, offer a quieter life within reach of the same schools and airport. Our comparison of Gstaad and St. Moritz is also worth reading if Graubünden is on your list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gstaad or Klosters more expensive?

Gstaad is more expensive. UBS's Alpine Property Focus 2026 places Gstaad first among Alpine resorts at around CHF 25,000 per square metre for upmarket holiday apartments, while Davos/Klosters ranks lower in the top ten. Klosters recorded one of the strongest annual price increases in the same study.

Which is better for skiing, Gstaad or Klosters?

Klosters has the larger and higher linked ski area, connected to Davos through the Parsenn, with a top station around 2,844 metres. Gstaad's lift network is spread across several valleys at lower altitude, with Glacier 3000 as its high-altitude option. Keen skiers often prefer Klosters, while Gstaad wins on village life beyond skiing.

Can foreigners buy property in Klosters and Gstaad?

Yes, in both. Non-resident foreigners need a Lex Koller authorisation for a holiday home, within cantonal quotas. Both villages also fall under the Second Homes Act, which restricts new second homes, so most purchases involve existing properties.

Is Gstaad or Klosters easier to reach?

It depends on your airport. Gstaad is closer to Geneva, around two to two and a half hours by car. Klosters is closer to Zurich, roughly two hours by car or train. Both are reachable by helicopter, and Gstaad has the Saanen airfield a few minutes from the village.

If you are weighing Gstaad against Klosters or another Swiss resort, we are happy to talk through what your budget buys in each Saanenland village and how it compares. Get in touch.

Sources:

• UBS: Alpine Property Focus 2026, media release
• blue News: Vacation apartments in Gstaad are now the most expensive in the Alps (June 2026)
• Fedlex: Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad (BewG)
• ch.ch: Buying a second or holiday home

For a confidential conversation about your search or sale, contact The Gstaad Collection.