Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Aarau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Aarau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,565 per month in Lausanne vs $2,962 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,676 per month in Lausanne vs $4,722 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,788 per month in Lausanne vs $6,482 in Aarau, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 20% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lausanne and Aarau sit above the global median – Lausanne by 166%, Aarau by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.89

$30.10 CHF 23.73

9.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

$106 CHF 83.6

36.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.77

$19.44 CHF 15.33

-3.65%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$6.35 CHF 5.01

-4.41%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$3.34 CHF 2.63

67.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.71

$4.83 CHF 3.80

-2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.60

$8.16 CHF 6.43

18.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.63

$7.32 CHF 5.77

14.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.17 CHF 1.71

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.29

$3.34 CHF 2.63

24.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.53

$2.54 CHF 2.01

76.38%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.52

$7.00 CHF 5.52

0.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.67

$28.84 CHF 22.74

-9.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.69

$36.39 CHF 28.69

-20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 40.97

$43.90 CHF 34.61

18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$2.80 CHF 2.20

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.13 CHF 1.68

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.32

$2.81 CHF 2.22

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.07

$5.67 CHF 4.47

13.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.26 CHF 1.78

11.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.85

$2.05 CHF 1.62

14.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.09

$1.52 CHF 1.20

-8.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

$10.41 CHF 8.21

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.70

$10.64 CHF 8.39

51.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.52

$2.20 CHF 1.73

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.73

$4.19 CHF 3.30

13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.0

$149 CHF 118

-34.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.29

$8.66 CHF 6.83

-7.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$5.60 CHF 4.41

-41.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.3

$87.4 CHF 68.9

-22.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-2.27%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

3.24%

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

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

0.47%

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

$322 CHF 254

$251 CHF 198

28.50%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.66

$42.50 CHF 33.51

18.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.42

$59.9 CHF 47.20

-3.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 59.9

$66.3 CHF 52.3

14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

$41.53 CHF 32.74

14.88%

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 20.94

$22.96 CHF 18.10

15.68%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,178

$3,147 CHF 2,481

-12.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

37.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 86.9

$92.7 CHF 73.1

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.4

$53.1 CHF 41.85

32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$113 CHF 88.9

31.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$172 CHF 136

7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,446

$1,310 CHF 1,033

39.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,172

$1,029 CHF 811

44.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,777

$2,440 CHF 1,924

44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,321

$2,082 CHF 1,641

41.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

$10.6K CHF 8,330

85.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$12.6K CHF 9,910

14.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,969

$7,301 CHF 5,756

3.69%

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 Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,310 in Aarau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Lausanne, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $145 in Lausanne versus $106 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $651 vs $636 – making Aarau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lausanne vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne costs about 20% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,347 per month in Lausanne and $4,443 in Aarau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aarau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,763 per month in Lausanne and $3,147 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,565 in Lausanne and $2,962 in Aarau. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $2,962 versus $3,565 in Lausanne. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aarau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.