Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Lachen

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,419 in Lachen, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
166

Cost of Living Index in Lachen
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Lachen Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Lachen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,419

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Lachen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Lachen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,419 in Lachen.

Austin, TX $2,698
Lachen $3,419

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,218 in Lachen.

Austin, TX $4,160
Lachen $5,218

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $7,017 in Lachen.

Austin, TX $5,622
Lachen $7,017

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 21% less than in Lachen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Lachen 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$33.00 CHF 27.18

-37.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$121 CHF 99.4

-29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$16.33 CHF 13.45

-26.09%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.19 CHF 5.10

-11.47%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$5.68 CHF 4.68

-33.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$5.11 CHF 4.20

-51.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.44 CHF 6.95

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.62 CHF 7.92

-7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.16 CHF 1.78

-48.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.39 CHF 2.79

9.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.33 CHF 3.57

-22.17%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$7.88 CHF 6.49

-45.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$26.48 CHF 21.81

-50.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$26.44 CHF 21.77

-46.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$39.73 CHF 32.72

-58.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.49 CHF 2.87

30.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-31.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.63 CHF 2.17

79.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.78 CHF 3.94

-13.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.01 CHF 1.65

28.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.27 CHF 1.87

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.44 CHF 2.01

-27.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.42 CHF 1.17

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$11.07 CHF 9.12

-8.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$13.22 CHF 10.89

14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.29 CHF 1.88

23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.35 CHF 2.76

2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.85 CHF 3.17

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$110 CHF 90.7

-62.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$7.70 CHF 6.34

-63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$4.95 CHF 4.07

-67.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$86.9 CHF 71.6

-60.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-58.95%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$39.1K CHF 32.2K

-13.11%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

-32.84%

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

$223 $223

$231 CHF 190

-3.44%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$31.78 CHF 26.18

85.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$65.5 CHF 53.9

7.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$88.5 CHF 72.9

-34.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$47.80 CHF 39.37

-65.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$21.69 CHF 17.86

-34.26%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$2,846 CHF 2,344

-46.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$44.9K CHF 37.0K

-53.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$139 CHF 114

-63.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$88.1 CHF 72.6

-49.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$147 CHF 121

-40.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$172 CHF 142

-39.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,745 CHF 1,437

11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,482 CHF 1,221

-11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,930 CHF 2,413

25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,496 CHF 2,056

2.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

-54.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

-75.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$9,670 CHF 7,965

-45.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

1.72

294.77%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lachen: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Lachen

$1.5K 43.4% 12.6% $166

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Lachen

$582 17% 43.3% $176

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Lachen

$328 9.6% 6.9% $24

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Lachen

$492 14.4% 40.5% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Lachen

$246 7.2% 90.3% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Lachen

$132 3.9% 53% $46

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Lachen

$158 4.6% 173% $100

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,745 in Lachen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 83% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $121 in Lachen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $582 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇭 Lachen

🕒 Local time

15:36 3:36 PM

22:36 10:36 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

9,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

CHF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Lachen 8,710 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Lachen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Lachen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Lachen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 83% lower in Lachen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,745 in Lachen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,419 in Lachen – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 169% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Lachen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.