Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lachen and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,419 in Lachen, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

166

Cost of Living Index in Lachen
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Lachen Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Lachen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,419

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lachen and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lachen and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,419 in Lachen versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Lachen $3,419
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,218 in Lachen versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Lachen $5,218
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,017 in Lachen versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Lachen $7,017
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Lachen is roughly 27% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lachen 152% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.00 CHF 27.18

$20.63 $20.63

59.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.4

$84.6 $84.6

42.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.33 CHF 13.45

$12.07 $12.07

35.29%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 5.10

$5.48 $5.48

12.96%

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

$5.68 CHF 4.68

$3.80 $3.80

49.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 CHF 4.20

$2.47 $2.47

106.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.44 CHF 6.95

$8.05 $8.05

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 CHF 7.92

$8.88 $8.88

8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$1.11 $1.11

94.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CHF 2.79

$3.72 $3.72

-8.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 CHF 3.57

$3.37 $3.37

28.49%

Eggs

$7.88 CHF 6.49

$4.32 $4.32

82.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.48 CHF 21.81

$13.13 $13.13

101.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.44 CHF 21.77

$14.15 $14.15

86.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.73 CHF 32.72

$16.33 $16.33

143.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.87

$4.55 $4.55

-23.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$1.46 $1.46

46.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.17

$4.71 $4.71

-44.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 CHF 3.94

$4.15 $4.15

15.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.65

$2.58 $2.58

-22.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.87

$2.35 $2.35

-3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 CHF 2.01

$1.77 $1.77

37.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CHF 1.17

$2.14 $2.14

-33.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 9.12

$10.10 $10.10

9.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.22 CHF 10.89

$15.19 $15.19

-12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.88

$2.82 $2.82

-18.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CHF 2.76

$3.44 $3.44

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 CHF 3.17

$1.54 $1.54

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 90.7

$40.99 $40.99

168.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 CHF 6.34

$2.80 $2.80

175.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.95 CHF 4.07

$1.60 $1.60

209.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 71.6

$34.34 $34.34

152.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.89

$0.94 $0.94

143.62%

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

$39.1K CHF 32.2K

$34.0K $34.0K

15.09%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

48.89%

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

$231 CHF 190

$223 $223

3.57%

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

$31.78 CHF 26.18

$58.9 $58.9

-46.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 CHF 53.9

$70.6 $70.6

-7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 CHF 72.9

$57.7 $57.7

53.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.80 CHF 39.37

$16.53 $16.53

189.17%

Cinema Ticket

$21.69 CHF 17.86

$14.26 $14.26

52.10%

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

$2,846 CHF 2,344

$1,511 $1,511

88.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.9K CHF 37.0K

$20.9K $20.9K

115.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 114

$51.3 $51.3

170.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.1 CHF 72.6

$44.17 $44.17

99.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 121

$87.0 $87.0

68.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 142

$104 $104

65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CHF 1,437

$1,940 $1,940

-10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,221

$1,316 $1,316

12.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,930 CHF 2,413

$3,664 $3,664

-20.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,056

$2,565 $2,565

-2.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

$7,354 $7,354

119.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

$3,129 $3,129

302.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,670 CHF 7,965

$5,286 $5,286

82.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

6.79

-74.67%

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

Last update for Lachen: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lachen

$1.5K 43.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 11.2% $166

Groceries & Markets

Lachen

$582 17%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 30.2% $176

Eating Out

Lachen

$492 14.4%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 28.8% $142

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lachen

$328 9.6%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 7.4% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Lachen

$246 7.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 47.4% $117

Getting Around

Lachen

$158 4.6%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 63.3% $100

Sport & Entertainment

Lachen

$132 3.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 34.6% $46

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,745 in Lachen and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 83% 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: $121 in Lachen vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $582 vs $406 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Lachen

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

18:06 6:06 PM

11:06 11:06 AM

7 h behind Lachen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

974,447

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

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Between locations

Lachen Austin, TX 8,710 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Lachen
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lachen vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Lachen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 83% higher in Lachen, 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: $1,745 in Lachen versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,419 per month in Lachen versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 169% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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, Lachen and Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.