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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,472 per month in Altstätten vs $3,595 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,343 per month in Altstätten vs $5,762 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,214 per month in Altstätten vs $7,930 in Lausanne, rent included.

Altstätten is about 3% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Altstätten and Lausanne sit above the global median – Altstätten by 158%, Lausanne by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.06 CHF 24.66

$32.90 CHF 26.12

-5.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 114

$147 CHF 117

-2.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.18 CHF 14.44

$19.29 CHF 15.32

-5.75%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.84

$5.98 CHF 4.75

1.84%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.28

$5.33 CHF 4.23

1.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CHF 3.76

$4.95 CHF 3.93

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 CHF 6.62

$9.60 CHF 7.62

-13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CHF 5.74

$8.72 CHF 6.93

-17.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.69

$2.18 CHF 1.73

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 CHF 2.84

$4.13 CHF 3.28

-13.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$4.30 CHF 3.41

-3.72%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$7.03 CHF 5.58

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.23 CHF 23.21

$26.28 CHF 20.87

11.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.90 CHF 26.12

$28.86 CHF 22.91

14.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.54 CHF 37.74

$51.6 CHF 41.00

-7.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.76 CHF 2.99

$3.62 CHF 2.87

3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.10 CHF 1.67

8.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.30

$2.95 CHF 2.34

-1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.87

$6.67 CHF 5.29

-7.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.92

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-3.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$2.43 CHF 1.93

0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.06

$2.54 CHF 2.01

1.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.04

$1.47 CHF 1.17

-10.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 8.87

$11.16 CHF 8.86

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.96

$16.23 CHF 12.88

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$2.11 CHF 1.67

15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.55

$3.11 CHF 2.47

3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.13

$4.92 CHF 3.90

-19.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 77.4

$94.3 CHF 74.8

3.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 CHF 6.11

$7.89 CHF 6.26

-2.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.17 CHF 3.31

$3.28 CHF 2.61

27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 63.2

$67.0 CHF 53.2

18.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-2.67%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

$40.4K CHF 32.1K

0.50%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

-2.31%

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

$256 CHF 203

$325 CHF 258

-21.37%

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

$48.37 CHF 38.40

$50.8 CHF 40.33

-4.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.80

$57.8 CHF 45.86

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.6

$78.6 CHF 62.4

13.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.52 CHF 37.73

Cinema Ticket

$22.76 CHF 18.07

$26.56 CHF 21.09

-14.31%

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

$2,854 CHF 2,266

$2,833 CHF 2,249

0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 111

$108 CHF 85.5

29.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 CHF 53.0

$70.5 CHF 56.0

-5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 116

$148 CHF 118

-1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 150

$184 CHF 146

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CHF 1,375

$1,837 CHF 1,459

-5.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,184

$1,445 CHF 1,147

3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,863 CHF 2,273

$3,615 CHF 2,870

-20.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 CHF 1,931

$2,906 CHF 2,307

-16.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

$19.8K CHF 15.7K

-24.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,351

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

-26.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,240 CHF 5,748

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Altstätten versus $1,837 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 $144 in Altstätten versus $147 in Lausanne. Groceries tell a different story – $658 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 $5,208 per month in Altstätten and $5,392 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 $3,472 in Altstätten and $3,595 in Lausanne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $3,472 in Altstätten and $3,595 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.