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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,446 per month in Arbon vs $3,824 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,324 per month in Arbon vs $5,908 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,202 per month in Arbon vs $7,993 in Lausanne, rent included.

Arbon is about 10% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arbon and Lausanne sit above the global median – Arbon by 151%, Lausanne by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CHF 25.44

$31.49 CHF 25.61

-0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 122

$119 CHF 96.7

26.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.92 CHF 16.19

$19.27 CHF 15.67

3.37%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 5.11

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-0.47%

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

$6.09 CHF 4.95

$5.28 CHF 4.30

15.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 CHF 4.44

$4.09 CHF 3.32

33.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.32 CHF 7.57

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CHF 5.16

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-36.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CHF 2.58

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$3.28 CHF 2.66

13.72%

Eggs

$8.07 CHF 6.56

$7.55 CHF 6.14

6.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 21.05

$24.73 CHF 20.10

4.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.96 CHF 23.54

$28.61 CHF 23.26

1.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.89 CHF 34.87

$40.20 CHF 32.68

6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.96

$3.68 CHF 2.99

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-3.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$2.53 CHF 2.06

-5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 CHF 4.35

$4.55 CHF 3.70

17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$1.82 CHF 1.48

9.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$1.98 CHF 1.61

14.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.03 CHF 1.65

14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.00

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-32.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$11.19 CHF 9.10

1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 CHF 14.28

$15.68 CHF 12.75

12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.69 CHF 2.19

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$3.22 CHF 2.62

-27.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-7.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 CHF 74.0

$97.5 CHF 79.2

-6.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$7.82 CHF 6.36

-15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-0.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 66.0

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-8.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-1.27%

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

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-18.55%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

2.17%

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

$228 CHF 186

$305 CHF 248

-25.14%

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

$38.84 CHF 31.58

$38.30 CHF 31.14

1.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 45.93

$51.6 CHF 41.91

9.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 CHF 64.6

$74.1 CHF 60.3

7.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 CHF 43.48

$50.8 CHF 41.27

5.36%

Cinema Ticket

$24.06 CHF 19.56

$24.97 CHF 20.30

-3.64%

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

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-24.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-15.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$144 CHF 117

1.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 53.8

$77.9 CHF 63.4

-15.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$141 CHF 114

6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 153

$224 CHF 182

-16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 CHF 1,265

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 CHF 1,091

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,340

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,212

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-17.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-0.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,379

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-19.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.6K CHF 9,446

$6,938 CHF 5,640

67.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

1.95

-2.56%

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

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Arbon versus $2,339 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 67% 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 $150 in Arbon versus $119 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 vs $598 – 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

Arbon vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,446 in Arbon, $3,824 in Lausanne – roughly 11% apart. Lausanne costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,170 per month in Arbon and $5,736 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 $3,446 in Arbon and $3,824 in Lausanne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $3,446 in Arbon and $3,824 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 $3,446 in Arbon to $3,824 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.