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: $4,045 in Interlaken versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,222 in Interlaken versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,399 in Interlaken versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Interlaken is roughly 6% more expensive than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Interlaken 194% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.88 CHF 24.94

$31.49 CHF 25.43

-1.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 CHF 79.1

$119 CHF 96.0

-17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.46 CHF 14.90

$19.27 CHF 15.56

-4.20%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.37

$6.32 CHF 5.11

-14.24%

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

$5.44 CHF 4.40

$5.28 CHF 4.27

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$4.09 CHF 3.30

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 CHF 6.63

$10.47 CHF 8.45

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 CHF 4.54

$9.93 CHF 8.02

-43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 CHF 1.37

$2.28 CHF 1.84

-25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 CHF 2.92

$3.97 CHF 3.20

-8.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.79 CHF 3.87

$3.28 CHF 2.65

46.04%

Eggs

$7.71 CHF 6.23

$7.55 CHF 6.10

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.60 CHF 25.52

$24.73 CHF 19.97

27.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.12 CHF 24.32

$28.61 CHF 23.10

5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.77 CHF 35.34

$40.20 CHF 32.46

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CHF 3.27

$3.68 CHF 2.97

10.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.33

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.27

$2.53 CHF 2.04

11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$4.55 CHF 3.67

-30.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 CHF 1.08

$1.82 CHF 1.47

-26.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.43

$1.98 CHF 1.60

-10.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.03 CHF 1.64

10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 0.99

$1.80 CHF 1.45

-31.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.15

$11.19 CHF 9.04

1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 CHF 10.72

$15.68 CHF 12.66

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.84

$2.69 CHF 2.17

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CHF 3.23

$3.22 CHF 2.60

24.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.27 CHF 3.45

$4.55 CHF 3.68

-6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$202 CHF 163

$97.5 CHF 78.7

107.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 CHF 5.03

$7.82 CHF 6.32

-20.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.13 CHF 4.95

$4.74 CHF 3.82

29.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 CHF 49.60

$88.4 CHF 71.4

-30.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-7.63%

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

$43.2K CHF 34.9K

$44.6K CHF 36.1K

-3.27%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

-1.55%

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

$371 CHF 299

$305 CHF 246

21.56%

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

$31.64 CHF 25.55

$38.30 CHF 30.93

-17.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 CHF 61.0

$51.6 CHF 41.63

46.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$74.1 CHF 59.9

30.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 40.99

Cinema Ticket

$28.73 CHF 23.20

$24.97 CHF 20.17

15.06%

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

$3,768 CHF 3,043

$3,045 CHF 2,459

23.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 26.9K

$38.2K CHF 30.8K

-12.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$159 CHF 128

$144 CHF 116

10.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$124 CHF 100

$77.9 CHF 62.9

59.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$202 CHF 163

$141 CHF 114

43.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$328 CHF 265

$224 CHF 181

46.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CHF 1,598

$2,339 CHF 1,888

-15.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CHF 1,301

$1,827 CHF 1,475

-11.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,404 CHF 2,749

$4,456 CHF 3,598

-23.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,502 CHF 2,828

$3,317 CHF 2,678

5.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,885

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

-33.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,576 CHF 6,925

$14.4K CHF 11.6K

-40.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,651 CHF 6,178

$6,938 CHF 5,602

10.28%

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 Interlaken: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Interlaken and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 10% 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: $98.0 in Interlaken vs $119 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $614 vs $598, 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

Lausanne is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Interlaken, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,979 in Interlaken 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 $4,045 per month in Interlaken versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 107% less than in Interlaken. 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.

For families, Lausanne is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Interlaken, 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 Lausanne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Interlaken. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.