Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,867 in Dubendorf versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,690 in Dubendorf versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Dubendorf versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 1% more expensive than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 181% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.67 CHF 24.94

$31.49 CHF 25.61

-2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$119 CHF 96.7

2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 CHF 13.45

$19.27 CHF 15.67

-14.17%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.05

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-1.74%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.45

$5.28 CHF 4.30

3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 CHF 4.01

$4.09 CHF 3.32

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.60 CHF 7.00

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CHF 5.45

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.17

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-1.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$3.28 CHF 2.66

43.29%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.18

$7.55 CHF 6.14

0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.49 CHF 27.22

$24.73 CHF 20.10

35.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.04 CHF 21.99

$28.61 CHF 23.26

-5.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.16 CHF 35.09

$40.20 CHF 32.68

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.89

$3.68 CHF 2.99

-3.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$2.10 CHF 1.71

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CHF 2.72

$2.53 CHF 2.06

32.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 CHF 5.62

$4.55 CHF 3.70

51.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$1.82 CHF 1.48

36.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.98 CHF 1.61

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.09

$2.03 CHF 1.65

26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CHF 1.18

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.92

$11.19 CHF 9.10

-1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 CHF 10.90

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.69 CHF 2.19

-17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 CHF 2.28

$3.22 CHF 2.62

-12.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-45.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 CHF 40.65

$97.5 CHF 79.2

-48.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 CHF 4.41

$7.82 CHF 6.36

-30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 CHF 2.76

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-28.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 CHF 50.2

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-30.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-5.93%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-3.99%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

-1.01%

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

$233 CHF 190

$305 CHF 248

-23.40%

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

$32.72 CHF 26.60

$38.30 CHF 31.14

-14.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 CHF 54.5

$51.6 CHF 41.91

29.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 CHF 100

$74.1 CHF 60.3

66.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$80.3 CHF 65.2

$50.8 CHF 41.27

58.10%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

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

$1,881 CHF 1,529

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-38.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.8K CHF 26.7K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-14.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.2 CHF 71.7

$77.9 CHF 63.4

13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 122

$141 CHF 114

6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 CHF 144

$224 CHF 182

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,512

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CHF 1,532

$1,827 CHF 1,485

3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,911 CHF 2,366

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,875 CHF 2,337

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-13.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,988

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-33.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,334 CHF 5,962

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-49.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,921 CHF 3,188

$6,938 CHF 5,640

-43.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

1.95

27.18%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,860 in Dubendorf and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Dubendorf vs $119 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $638 vs $598 per month, with Lausanne cheaper across the board.

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

Dubendorf vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dubendorf and Lausanne differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($3,867 vs $3,824 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Lausanne. 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: $1,860 in Dubendorf versus $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,867 per month in Dubendorf versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 95% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lausanne 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, Dubendorf and Lausanne 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 Lausanne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.