Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Altstätten Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Altstätten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,595 per month in Lausanne vs $3,472 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,762 per month in Lausanne vs $5,343 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,930 per month in Lausanne vs $7,214 in Altstätten, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 4% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lausanne and Altstätten sit above the global median – Lausanne by 167%, Altstätten by 158%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.90 CHF 26.12

$31.06 CHF 24.66

5.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 117

$144 CHF 114

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.29 CHF 15.32

$18.18 CHF 14.44

6.11%

Cappuccino

$5.98 CHF 4.75

$6.09 CHF 4.84

-1.81%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.23

$5.39 CHF 4.28

-1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 CHF 3.93

$4.73 CHF 3.76

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.60 CHF 7.62

$8.33 CHF 6.62

15.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 CHF 6.93

$7.23 CHF 5.74

20.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$2.13 CHF 1.69

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 CHF 3.28

$3.58 CHF 2.84

15.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$4.14 CHF 3.28

3.86%

Eggs

$7.03 CHF 5.58

$7.53 CHF 5.98

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 20.87

$29.23 CHF 23.21

-10.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.86 CHF 22.91

$32.90 CHF 26.12

-12.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.6 CHF 41.00

$47.54 CHF 37.74

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.87

$3.76 CHF 2.99

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.67

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-7.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.34

$2.90 CHF 2.30

1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 CHF 5.29

$6.14 CHF 4.87

8.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.00

$2.42 CHF 1.92

4.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.93

$2.45 CHF 1.95

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$2.59 CHF 2.06

-1.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CHF 1.17

$1.31 CHF 1.04

12.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 8.86

$11.18 CHF 8.87

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 CHF 12.88

$13.81 CHF 10.96

17.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-13.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.47

$3.22 CHF 2.55

-3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 CHF 3.90

$3.95 CHF 3.13

24.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 CHF 74.8

$97.5 CHF 77.4

-3.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.26

$7.69 CHF 6.11

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 CHF 2.61

$4.17 CHF 3.31

-21.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.0 CHF 53.2

$79.5 CHF 63.2

-15.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$2.19 CHF 1.74

2.74%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

-0.50%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

2.36%

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

$325 CHF 258

$256 CHF 203

27.18%

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

$50.8 CHF 40.33

$48.37 CHF 38.40

5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.86

$57.7 CHF 45.80

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 62.4

$88.9 CHF 70.6

-11.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.52 CHF 37.73

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.09

$22.76 CHF 18.07

16.70%

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

$2,833 CHF 2,249

$2,854 CHF 2,266

-0.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

-2.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 85.5

$139 CHF 111

-22.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 CHF 56.0

$66.7 CHF 53.0

5.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 118

$146 CHF 116

1.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 146

$189 CHF 150

-2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 CHF 1,459

$1,732 CHF 1,375

6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,147

$1,491 CHF 1,184

-3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,615 CHF 2,870

$2,863 CHF 2,273

26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,906 CHF 2,307

$2,432 CHF 1,931

19.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.8K CHF 15.7K

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

32.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

$10.5K CHF 8,351

36.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,240 CHF 5,748

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 6, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,837 in Lausanne versus $1,732 in Altstätten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $147 in Lausanne versus $144 in Altstätten. Groceries tell a different story – $652 in Lausanne vs $658 in Altstätten – so Lausanne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lausanne is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,392 per month in Lausanne and $5,208 in Altstätten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,595 in Lausanne and $3,472 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,595 in Lausanne and $3,472 in Altstätten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Altstätten. 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.