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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,604 per month in Lausanne vs $3,454 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Lausanne vs $5,350 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,772 per month in Lausanne vs $7,246 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 171%, Altstätten by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.78 CHF 26.46

$30.94 CHF 24.97

5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 118

$142 CHF 115

2.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.19

$18.68 CHF 15.08

0.80%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.92

$6.08 CHF 4.90

0.16%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.30

$5.25 CHF 4.24

1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$4.87 CHF 3.93

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.74 CHF 7.86

$8.18 CHF 6.60

19.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.36 CHF 6.75

$7.28 CHF 5.88

14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.17 CHF 1.75

-0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.27

$3.59 CHF 2.90

12.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.65

$4.08 CHF 3.29

10.78%

Eggs

$7.02 CHF 5.66

$7.32 CHF 5.91

-4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.52

$29.14 CHF 23.51

-8.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.77 CHF 23.22

$32.97 CHF 26.61

-12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.7 CHF 42.55

$47.40 CHF 38.25

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$3.81 CHF 3.07

-0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-10.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.27

$2.89 CHF 2.34

-2.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 CHF 5.20

$6.23 CHF 5.03

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-4.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$2.43 CHF 1.96

-1.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.51 CHF 2.03

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.12

$1.34 CHF 1.08

3.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.05

$10.91 CHF 8.81

2.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 CHF 12.43

$12.89 CHF 10.40

19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.65

$3.21 CHF 2.59

2.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 CHF 3.96

$4.00 CHF 3.23

22.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 CHF 76.6

$97.0 CHF 78.3

-2.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 CHF 6.26

$7.89 CHF 6.37

-1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.75

$4.14 CHF 3.34

-17.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.8 CHF 53.9

$80.6 CHF 65.0

-17.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.15 CHF 1.74

0.47%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$40.2K CHF 32.5K

0.93%

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

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

-1.80%

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

$321 CHF 259

$258 CHF 208

24.70%

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

$51.0 CHF 41.17

$49.09 CHF 39.61

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 CHF 48.06

$59.8 CHF 48.26

-0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 CHF 62.4

$87.6 CHF 70.7

-11.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.48 CHF 38.32

$50.3 CHF 40.60

-5.63%

Cinema Ticket

$26.09 CHF 21.05

$22.51 CHF 18.17

15.90%

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

$2,837 CHF 2,289

$2,948 CHF 2,379

-3.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

-0.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.5

$134 CHF 108

-20.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 CHF 57.1

$67.2 CHF 54.3

5.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$151 CHF 121

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$190 CHF 154

-3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CHF 1,470

$1,689 CHF 1,363

7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,185

$1,489 CHF 1,201

-1.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,656 CHF 2,950

$2,867 CHF 2,313

27.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,968 CHF 2,395

$2,421 CHF 1,954

22.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

43.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

$11.6K CHF 9,330

19.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,703 CHF 5,409

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,822 in Lausanne versus $1,689 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 $146 in Lausanne versus $142 in Altstätten. Groceries tell a different story – $652 in Lausanne vs $656 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 $5,406 per month in Lausanne and $5,181 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 $3,604 in Lausanne and $3,454 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $3,604 in Lausanne and $3,454 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.