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: $3,538 in Interlaken versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,361 in Interlaken versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,183 in Interlaken versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Interlaken costs roughly 2% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Interlaken 165% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.95 CHF 25.02

$32.44 CHF 26.23

-4.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 113

$148 CHF 119

-5.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.23

$19.05 CHF 15.40

-1.15%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$5.90 CHF 4.77

4.41%

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

$5.44 CHF 4.40

$5.41 CHF 4.38

0.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 CHF 3.97

$4.92 CHF 3.97

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 CHF 6.54

$10.12 CHF 8.18

-20.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$8.85 CHF 7.16

-17.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 CHF 2.88

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-12.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.38

$4.37 CHF 3.53

-4.12%

Eggs

$7.33 CHF 5.93

$7.37 CHF 5.96

-0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.90 CHF 23.37

$26.35 CHF 21.31

9.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.71 CHF 27.26

$28.58 CHF 23.11

17.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.39 CHF 38.31

$53.2 CHF 42.99

-10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 2.99

$3.80 CHF 3.07

-2.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.15 CHF 1.74

5.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.30

$2.89 CHF 2.34

-1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 CHF 5.22

$6.62 CHF 5.35

-2.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$2.43 CHF 1.97

3.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.41 CHF 1.95

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.13

$2.53 CHF 2.04

3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.10

$1.40 CHF 1.14

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$11.03 CHF 8.92

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CHF 10.53

$15.39 CHF 12.44

-15.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.10 CHF 1.69

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 CHF 2.72

$3.27 CHF 2.64

2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-20.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.4 CHF 78.8

$96.1 CHF 77.7

1.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$7.67 CHF 6.20

1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.33

$3.42 CHF 2.77

20.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 63.8

$66.1 CHF 53.5

19.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.18 CHF 1.76

1.38%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

0.03%

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

$42.0K CHF 34.0K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

3.32%

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

$261 CHF 211

$331 CHF 267

-21.18%

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

$49.01 CHF 39.63

$50.0 CHF 40.44

-2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 47.02

$57.7 CHF 46.68

0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.3

$78.4 CHF 63.4

14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.18

Cinema Ticket

$22.38 CHF 18.09

$26.35 CHF 21.31

-15.07%

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

$2,952 CHF 2,387

$2,843 CHF 2,298

3.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K CHF 28.4K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 CHF 109

$110 CHF 89.0

22.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 CHF 54.1

$69.2 CHF 55.9

-3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 122

$153 CHF 124

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 153

$184 CHF 149

3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CHF 1,356

$1,834 CHF 1,483

-8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,193

-0.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,854 CHF 2,308

$3,654 CHF 2,954

-21.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 CHF 1,992

$2,979 CHF 2,408

-17.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,732

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-35.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,605 CHF 6,957

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-39.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,418 CHF 5,997

$6,512 CHF 5,265

13.91%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Interlaken and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $140 in Interlaken vs $148 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $661 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

Interlaken vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Interlaken is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% 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: $1,677 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 $3,538 per month in Interlaken versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Interlaken runs roughly 1% 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 2% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.