Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,458 per month in Altstätten vs $3,765 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,270 per month in Altstätten vs $5,871 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Altstätten vs $7,978 in Lausanne, rent included.

Altstätten is about 8% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Altstätten and Lausanne sit above the global median – Altstätten by 153%, Lausanne by 175%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.45 CHF 25.94

$30.39 CHF 25.07

3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 101

$121 CHF 99.6

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.47 CHF 15.24

$18.83 CHF 15.54

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$6.30 CHF 5.20

$6.00 CHF 4.95

5.00%

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

$5.38 CHF 4.44

$5.04 CHF 4.15

6.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 CHF 4.17

$4.28 CHF 3.53

17.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.20 CHF 7.59

$10.44 CHF 8.61

-11.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CHF 5.99

$9.84 CHF 8.12

-26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.87

$2.26 CHF 1.86

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.16

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CHF 3.21

$3.37 CHF 2.78

15.43%

Eggs

$7.69 CHF 6.35

$7.05 CHF 5.82

9.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.62 CHF 21.96

$25.26 CHF 20.84

5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.76 CHF 22.90

$28.42 CHF 23.45

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.65 CHF 34.36

$39.33 CHF 32.45

5.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 3.04

$3.64 CHF 3.00

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.69

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.28

$2.50 CHF 2.06

10.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 CHF 4.07

$4.69 CHF 3.87

5.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.52

$1.80 CHF 1.49

2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.74

$1.96 CHF 1.62

7.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CHF 1.88

$2.04 CHF 1.68

11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.10

$1.71 CHF 1.41

-21.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 CHF 9.22

$11.00 CHF 9.07

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 CHF 11.05

$15.10 CHF 12.46

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.26

$2.75 CHF 2.27

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CHF 2.53

$3.20 CHF 2.64

-4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 CHF 3.77

$4.54 CHF 3.74

0.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 83.0

$95.3 CHF 78.6

5.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.51

$7.93 CHF 6.55

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.91

$4.71 CHF 3.89

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 67.3

$85.7 CHF 70.7

-4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$2.25 CHF 1.86

-2.22%

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

$42.0K CHF 34.6K

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

-3.57%

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

$40.5K CHF 33.4K

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

2.85%

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

$284 CHF 234

$301 CHF 248

-5.73%

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

$34.06 CHF 28.10

$38.31 CHF 31.61

-11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.94

$50.4 CHF 41.61

15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 CHF 74.9

$73.2 CHF 60.4

24.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.78 CHF 37.77

$48.47 CHF 39.99

-5.55%

Cinema Ticket

$23.15 CHF 19.10

$24.14 CHF 19.92

-4.10%

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

$2,746 CHF 2,266

$2,904 CHF 2,395

-5.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K CHF 28.9K

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

-7.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 117

$147 CHF 121

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 CHF 49.51

$78.0 CHF 64.3

-23.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 CHF 139

$140 CHF 116

19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 158

$222 CHF 183

-13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,757 CHF 1,449

$2,271 CHF 1,874

-22.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 CHF 1,210

$1,803 CHF 1,488

-18.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,924 CHF 2,412

$4,302 CHF 3,549

-32.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,562 CHF 2,114

$3,292 CHF 2,716

-22.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

-11.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

-11.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,771

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.95

6.15%

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

Last update for Altstätten: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,757 in Altstätten versus $2,271 in Lausanne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in Altstätten versus $121 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $599 vs $592 – making Lausanne 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

Altstätten vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lausanne is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,187 per month in Altstätten and $5,648 in Lausanne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,458 in Altstätten and $3,765 in Lausanne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,458 in Altstätten and $3,765 in Lausanne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Altstätten. 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.