Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,962 per month in Aarau vs $3,565 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,722 per month in Aarau vs $5,676 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,482 per month in Aarau vs $7,788 in Lausanne, rent included.

Aarau is about 17% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Aarau and Lausanne sit above the global median – Aarau by 121%, Lausanne by 166%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 CHF 23.73

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-8.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CHF 83.6

$145 CHF 114

-26.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.44 CHF 15.33

$18.73 CHF 14.77

3.79%

Cappuccino

$6.35 CHF 5.01

$6.07 CHF 4.79

4.61%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-40.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.80

$4.70 CHF 3.71

2.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 CHF 6.43

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 CHF 5.77

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-19.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$4.48 CHF 3.53

-43.30%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.52

$7.01 CHF 5.52

-0.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.74

$26.22 CHF 20.67

9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.39 CHF 28.69

$28.78 CHF 22.69

26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.90 CHF 34.61

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.20

$3.60 CHF 2.84

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$2.95 CHF 2.32

-4.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.47

$6.43 CHF 5.07

-11.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-9.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.62

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.49 CHF 1.96

0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$1.39 CHF 1.09

9.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 CHF 8.21

$10.93 CHF 8.62

-4.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CHF 8.39

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.01 CHF 1.59

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$3.20 CHF 2.52

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-11.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$149 CHF 118

$97.6 CHF 77.0

52.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 CHF 6.83

$7.98 CHF 6.29

8.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 CHF 4.41

$3.26 CHF 2.57

71.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 68.9

$67.6 CHF 53.3

29.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$2.15 CHF 1.70

2.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-3.14%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-0.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$251 CHF 198

$322 CHF 254

-22.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$42.50 CHF 33.51

$50.3 CHF 39.66

-15.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.20

$57.6 CHF 45.42

3.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 CHF 52.3

$76.0 CHF 59.9

-12.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.53 CHF 32.74

$47.71 CHF 37.61

-12.95%

Cinema Ticket

$22.96 CHF 18.10

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-13.55%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,147 CHF 2,481

$2,763 CHF 2,178

13.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

-27.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 CHF 73.1

$110 CHF 86.9

-15.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 41.85

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-24.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CHF 88.9

$149 CHF 117

-24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 136

$185 CHF 146

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CHF 1,033

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 CHF 811

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-30.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CHF 1,924

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 CHF 1,641

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-29.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,330

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-45.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,910

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-13.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,301 CHF 5,756

$7,571 CHF 5,969

-3.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Aarau versus $1,834 in Lausanne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Lausanne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Aarau versus $145 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $651 – making Aarau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aarau vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne costs about 20% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,443 per month in Aarau and $5,347 in Lausanne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aarau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,147 per month in Aarau and $2,763 in Lausanne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,962 in Aarau and $3,565 in Lausanne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $2,962 versus $3,565 in Lausanne. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aarau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.