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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,454 per month in Altstätten vs $3,604 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,350 per month in Altstätten vs $5,688 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,246 per month in Altstätten vs $7,772 in Lausanne, rent included.

Altstätten is about 4% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Altstätten and Lausanne sit above the global median – Altstätten by 159%, Lausanne by 171%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.94 CHF 24.97

$32.78 CHF 26.46

-5.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 CHF 115

$146 CHF 118

-2.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.68 CHF 15.08

$18.83 CHF 15.19

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$6.08 CHF 4.90

$6.09 CHF 4.92

-0.16%

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

$5.25 CHF 4.24

$5.33 CHF 4.30

-1.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.93

$4.69 CHF 3.79

3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 CHF 6.60

$9.74 CHF 7.86

-16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$8.36 CHF 6.75

-12.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$2.16 CHF 1.74

0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.90

$4.05 CHF 3.27

-11.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.29

$4.52 CHF 3.65

-9.73%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.91

$7.02 CHF 5.66

4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.14 CHF 23.51

$26.66 CHF 21.52

9.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.97 CHF 26.61

$28.77 CHF 23.22

14.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.40 CHF 38.25

$52.7 CHF 42.55

-10.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.07

$3.79 CHF 3.06

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.09 CHF 1.69

11.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.81 CHF 2.27

2.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 CHF 5.03

$6.44 CHF 5.20

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$2.41 CHF 1.95

4.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.40 CHF 1.94

1.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.08

$1.39 CHF 1.12

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.91 CHF 8.81

$11.22 CHF 9.05

-2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CHF 10.40

$15.40 CHF 12.43

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.03 CHF 1.64

15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.59

$3.28 CHF 2.65

-2.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 CHF 3.23

$4.91 CHF 3.96

-18.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.3

$94.9 CHF 76.6

2.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.37

$7.76 CHF 6.26

1.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.34

$3.41 CHF 2.75

21.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.6 CHF 65.0

$66.8 CHF 53.9

20.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.16 CHF 1.74

-0.46%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.5K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-0.92%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

1.83%

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

$258 CHF 208

$321 CHF 259

-19.81%

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

$49.09 CHF 39.61

$51.0 CHF 41.17

-3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 CHF 48.26

$59.6 CHF 48.06

0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 CHF 70.7

$77.3 CHF 62.4

13.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.3 CHF 40.60

$47.48 CHF 38.32

5.96%

Cinema Ticket

$22.51 CHF 18.17

$26.09 CHF 21.05

-13.72%

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

$2,948 CHF 2,379

$2,837 CHF 2,289

3.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 CHF 108

$107 CHF 86.5

25.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CHF 54.3

$70.8 CHF 57.1

-5.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 121

$149 CHF 120

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 154

$183 CHF 148

4.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 CHF 1,363

$1,822 CHF 1,470

-7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,201

$1,469 CHF 1,185

1.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,867 CHF 2,313

$3,656 CHF 2,950

-21.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 CHF 1,954

$2,968 CHF 2,395

-18.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

-30.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.6K CHF 9,330

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

-16.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,703 CHF 5,409

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 Altstätten: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Altstätten versus $1,822 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 $142 in Altstätten versus $146 in Lausanne. Groceries tell a different story – $656 in Altstätten vs $652 in Lausanne – so Lausanne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,181 per month in Altstätten and $5,406 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 $3,454 in Altstätten and $3,604 in Lausanne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $3,454 in Altstätten and $3,604 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.