Cost of Living Comparison Between Interlaken and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Interlaken and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,517 in Interlaken versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,363 in Interlaken versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,209 in Interlaken versus $7,788 in Lausanne.

Living in Interlaken costs roughly 1% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Interlaken 162% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.63 CHF 24.15

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-6.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$145 CHF 114

-1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.72 CHF 14.76

$18.73 CHF 14.77

-0.05%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 4.82

$6.07 CHF 4.79

0.82%

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

$5.16 CHF 4.07

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 CHF 3.87

$4.70 CHF 3.71

4.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.40 CHF 6.62

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$2.19 CHF 1.73

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 CHF 2.72

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.26

$4.48 CHF 3.53

-7.59%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 5.85

$7.01 CHF 5.52

5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.41 CHF 23.19

$26.22 CHF 20.67

12.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$28.78 CHF 22.69

16.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.19 CHF 38.00

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.86

$3.60 CHF 2.84

0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$2.19 CHF 1.73

6.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.28

$2.95 CHF 2.32

-1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.17 CHF 4.86

$6.43 CHF 5.07

-4.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-1.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$2.35 CHF 1.85

3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.49 CHF 1.96

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$1.39 CHF 1.09

-0.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.65

$10.93 CHF 8.62

0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.39 CHF 16.08

$16.11 CHF 12.70

26.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.01 CHF 1.59

16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.60

$3.20 CHF 2.52

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 CHF 2.99

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-19.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.2

$97.6 CHF 77.0

2.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 CHF 6.35

$7.98 CHF 6.29

1.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.32

$3.26 CHF 2.57

29.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.9 CHF 63.8

$67.6 CHF 53.3

19.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-0.47%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-0.15%

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

$42.1K CHF 33.2K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

1.00%

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

$264 CHF 208

$322 CHF 254

-18.18%

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

$47.90 CHF 37.77

$50.3 CHF 39.66

-4.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 46.07

$57.6 CHF 45.42

1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$76.0 CHF 59.9

17.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$22.39 CHF 17.65

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-15.70%

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

$2,912 CHF 2,296

$2,763 CHF 2,178

5.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

2.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$110 CHF 86.9

25.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CHF 52.5

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-5.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 115

$149 CHF 117

-2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 147

$185 CHF 146

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 CHF 1,343

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 CHF 1,166

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,835 CHF 2,235

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-19.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 CHF 1,972

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-15.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K CHF 10.2K

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-34.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,933 CHF 7,043

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-38.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,452 CHF 5,875

$7,571 CHF 5,969

-1.57%

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 Interlaken: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,703 in Interlaken and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 2% 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: $143 in Interlaken vs $145 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $676 vs $651, 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

Interlaken vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Interlaken is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lausanne earns 2% less. 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: $1,703 in Interlaken 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 $3,517 per month in Interlaken versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Interlaken runs roughly 3% less than in Lausanne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Interlaken is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Interlaken is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lausanne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Interlaken 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 Interlaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.