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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,498 per month in Lausanne vs $3,464 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,732 per month in Lausanne vs $5,384 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,966 per month in Lausanne vs $7,305 in Altstätten, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 1% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lausanne and Altstätten sit above the global median – Lausanne by 161%, Altstätten by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.00 CHF 26.10

$31.40 CHF 24.84

5.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 116

$141 CHF 112

4.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.28 CHF 15.25

$18.85 CHF 14.91

2.28%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.82

$5.95 CHF 4.71

2.35%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.21

$5.39 CHF 4.26

-1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CHF 3.80

$4.90 CHF 3.87

-2.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 7.93

$8.17 CHF 6.46

22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 CHF 6.76

$7.33 CHF 5.80

16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.15 CHF 1.70

5.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 CHF 3.25

$3.60 CHF 2.85

13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 CHF 3.53

$4.19 CHF 3.31

6.44%

Eggs

$7.15 CHF 5.66

$7.62 CHF 6.03

-6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.38 CHF 20.86

$28.48 CHF 22.53

-7.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.91 CHF 22.87

$33.38 CHF 26.40

-13.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.57

$47.18 CHF 37.32

11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.89

$3.62 CHF 2.87

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.32

$2.85 CHF 2.26

3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 CHF 5.19

$6.14 CHF 4.85

7.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$2.53 CHF 2.00

-3.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.08

$2.60 CHF 2.05

1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.11

$1.38 CHF 1.09

1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.72

$11.06 CHF 8.75

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 CHF 12.79

$13.90 CHF 11.00

16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.33 CHF 1.85

-13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$3.33 CHF 2.63

-3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.86 CHF 3.84

$3.97 CHF 3.14

22.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 CHF 75.9

$99.2 CHF 78.5

-3.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.22

$7.67 CHF 6.07

2.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 CHF 2.62

$4.27 CHF 3.37

-22.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.9

$79.9 CHF 63.2

-17.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.12 CHF 1.68

5.19%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

-2.35%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

-2.47%

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

$324 CHF 256

$258 CHF 204

25.68%

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

$49.73 CHF 39.34

$49.33 CHF 39.02

0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 46.22

$59.7 CHF 47.25

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.4 CHF 61.3

$87.9 CHF 69.6

-11.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.11 CHF 38.85

Cinema Ticket

$26.10 CHF 20.64

$23.00 CHF 18.19

13.48%

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

$2,823 CHF 2,233

$2,879 CHF 2,277

-1.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 27.4K

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

1.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 85.5

$136 CHF 108

-20.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.5

$67.3 CHF 53.3

4.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 121

$150 CHF 118

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 148

$189 CHF 149

-1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CHF 1,490

$1,721 CHF 1,361

9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 CHF 1,158

$1,455 CHF 1,151

0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 CHF 2,835

$2,850 CHF 2,254

25.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 CHF 2,295

$2,475 CHF 1,958

17.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.0K CHF 15.8K

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

31.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.0K CHF 11.8K

$11.9K CHF 9,450

25.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,840 CHF 6,202

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,884 in Lausanne versus $1,721 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 $141 in Altstätten. Groceries tell a different story – $656 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 1%, 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 $5,246 per month in Lausanne and $5,196 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 $3,498 in Lausanne and $3,464 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 $3,498 in Lausanne and $3,464 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.