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: $3,866 in Dubendorf versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,884 in Dubendorf versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,901 in Dubendorf versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 7% more expensive than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 189% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.26 CHF 25.27

$32.44 CHF 26.23

-3.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$148 CHF 119

-1.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.61 CHF 15.04

$19.05 CHF 15.40

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 4.99

$5.90 CHF 4.77

4.58%

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

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$5.41 CHF 4.38

7.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CHF 4.19

$4.92 CHF 3.97

5.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$10.12 CHF 8.18

-26.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.79

$8.85 CHF 7.16

-18.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.24 CHF 1.81

0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-20.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$4.37 CHF 3.53

-5.72%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$7.37 CHF 5.96

1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.48 CHF 23.84

$26.35 CHF 21.31

11.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.92 CHF 25.81

$28.58 CHF 23.11

11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.73

$53.2 CHF 42.99

-5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$3.80 CHF 3.07

-15.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$2.15 CHF 1.74

31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$2.89 CHF 2.34

8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$6.62 CHF 5.35

9.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.43 CHF 1.97

13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-3.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.06

$2.53 CHF 2.04

0.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.38

$1.40 CHF 1.14

22.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$11.03 CHF 8.92

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.72

$15.39 CHF 12.44

-13.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$2.10 CHF 1.69

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$3.27 CHF 2.64

-8.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.76 CHF 6.27

$4.83 CHF 3.90

60.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 CHF 100

$96.1 CHF 77.7

29.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 CHF 5.32

$7.67 CHF 6.20

-14.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$3.42 CHF 2.77

23.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.1

$66.1 CHF 53.5

19.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$2.18 CHF 1.76

4.13%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

4.03%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-1.56%

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

$260 CHF 210

$331 CHF 267

-21.25%

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

$35.31 CHF 28.55

$50.0 CHF 40.44

-29.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 42.19

$57.7 CHF 46.68

-9.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 CHF 70.3

$78.4 CHF 63.4

10.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 CHF 45.04

$48.46 CHF 39.18

14.96%

Cinema Ticket

$24.42 CHF 19.74

$26.35 CHF 21.31

-7.32%

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

$2,732 CHF 2,209

$2,843 CHF 2,298

-3.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

12.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$110 CHF 89.0

32.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CHF 53.3

$69.2 CHF 55.9

-4.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$153 CHF 124

-4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$184 CHF 149

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 CHF 1,521

$1,834 CHF 1,483

2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,479

$1,476 CHF 1,193

23.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 CHF 2,169

$3,654 CHF 2,954

-26.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,936 CHF 2,373

$2,979 CHF 2,408

-1.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-15.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-11.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,977 CHF 3,215

$6,512 CHF 5,265

-38.93%

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 Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Dubendorf and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $145 in Dubendorf vs $148 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $670 vs $655, with Lausanne cheaper for home cooking.

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 7% in total monthly costs ($3,866 vs $3,619 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 64% 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: $1,882 in Dubendorf versus $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,866 per month in Dubendorf versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 29% 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 7% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.