Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,361 per month in Arbon vs $3,619 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,221 per month in Arbon vs $5,781 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Arbon vs $7,944 in Lausanne, rent included.

Arbon is about 7% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arbon and Lausanne sit above the global median – Arbon by 152%, Lausanne by 171%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.53 CHF 24.63

$32.44 CHF 26.18

-5.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 112

$148 CHF 119

-5.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.34 CHF 14.00

$19.05 CHF 15.37

-8.98%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.97

$5.90 CHF 4.76

4.41%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.32

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CHF 3.51

$4.92 CHF 3.97

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 CHF 6.23

$10.12 CHF 8.16

-23.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 CHF 5.81

$8.85 CHF 7.14

-18.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.81

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$4.09 CHF 3.30

-37.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.93

$4.37 CHF 3.53

-16.93%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.38

$7.37 CHF 5.95

7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.75 CHF 22.39

$26.35 CHF 21.26

5.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.72 CHF 26.40

$28.58 CHF 23.06

14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.18 CHF 33.23

$53.2 CHF 42.90

-22.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.57

$3.80 CHF 3.06

-16.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.47

$2.15 CHF 1.73

-14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$2.89 CHF 2.33

-13.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.13

$6.62 CHF 5.34

-3.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$2.43 CHF 1.96

2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.92

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-1.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.09

$2.53 CHF 2.04

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.40 CHF 1.13

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 CHF 8.72

$11.03 CHF 8.90

-2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 CHF 9.01

$15.39 CHF 12.42

-27.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.81

$2.10 CHF 1.69

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$3.27 CHF 2.64

-28.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.89 CHF 3.14

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-19.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.3

$96.1 CHF 77.5

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 CHF 5.41

$7.67 CHF 6.19

-12.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.42

$3.42 CHF 2.76

23.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.8 CHF 63.6

$66.1 CHF 53.4

19.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-0.46%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

0.37%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.6K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

5.63%

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

$251 CHF 202

$331 CHF 267

-24.14%

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

$59.3 CHF 47.88

$50.0 CHF 40.36

18.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CHF 43.60

$57.7 CHF 46.59

-6.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.1

$78.4 CHF 63.3

13.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.10

Cinema Ticket

$22.30 CHF 18.00

$26.35 CHF 21.26

-15.37%

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

$2,789 CHF 2,251

$2,843 CHF 2,294

-1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

23.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 110

$110 CHF 88.8

24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 CHF 52.0

$69.2 CHF 55.8

-6.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 105

$153 CHF 124

-14.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 130

$184 CHF 148

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 CHF 1,373

$1,834 CHF 1,480

-7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,166

$1,476 CHF 1,191

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 CHF 2,319

$3,654 CHF 2,948

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 CHF 1,967

$2,979 CHF 2,404

-18.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-20.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,570

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-25.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.3K CHF 9,131

$6,512 CHF 5,254

73.79%

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 Arbon: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in Arbon 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 74% higher in Arbon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $139 in Arbon versus $148 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $608 vs $655 – making Arbon 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

Arbon vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,361 in Arbon, $3,619 in Lausanne – roughly 8% apart. Lausanne costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,041 per month in Arbon and $5,429 in Lausanne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arbon, 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 $3,361 in Arbon and $3,619 in Lausanne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Arbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,361 in Arbon and $3,619 in Lausanne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lausanne has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,361 in Arbon to $3,619 in Lausanne. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arbon. 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.