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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,765 per month in Lausanne vs $3,458 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,871 per month in Lausanne vs $5,270 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,978 per month in Lausanne vs $7,082 in Altstätten, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 9% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Lausanne and Altstätten sit above the global median – Lausanne by 175%, Altstätten by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 25.07

$31.45 CHF 25.94

-3.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.6

$122 CHF 101

-0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.54

$18.47 CHF 15.24

1.95%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.95

$6.30 CHF 5.20

-4.76%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.15

$5.38 CHF 4.44

-6.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.53

$5.05 CHF 4.17

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.61

$9.20 CHF 7.59

13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.12

$7.26 CHF 5.99

35.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$2.27 CHF 1.87

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.21

$3.83 CHF 3.16

1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.78

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-13.37%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.82

$7.69 CHF 6.35

-8.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.84

$26.62 CHF 21.96

-5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.45

$27.76 CHF 22.90

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.45

$41.65 CHF 34.36

-5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 3.00

$3.68 CHF 3.04

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$2.04 CHF 1.69

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.06

$2.77 CHF 2.28

-9.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.87

$4.93 CHF 4.07

-4.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.49

$1.84 CHF 1.52

-2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.62

$2.11 CHF 1.74

-7.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$2.28 CHF 1.88

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.41

$1.34 CHF 1.10

27.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 9.07

$11.17 CHF 9.22

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.46

$13.39 CHF 11.05

12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.27

$2.74 CHF 2.26

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.64

$3.07 CHF 2.53

4.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.74

$4.57 CHF 3.77

-0.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.6

$101 CHF 83.0

-5.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.55

$7.89 CHF 6.51

0.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.89

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.7

$81.5 CHF 67.3

5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.20 CHF 1.81

2.27%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

$42.0K CHF 34.6K

3.71%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

$40.5K CHF 33.4K

-2.77%

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

$301 CHF 248

$284 CHF 234

6.08%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.61

$34.06 CHF 28.10

12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.61

$58.1 CHF 47.94

-13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.4

$90.8 CHF 74.9

-19.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 39.99

$45.78 CHF 37.77

5.88%

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.92

$23.15 CHF 19.10

4.28%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,395

$2,746 CHF 2,266

5.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

$35.1K CHF 28.9K

7.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 121

$142 CHF 117

3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.3

$60.0 CHF 49.51

29.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 116

$168 CHF 139

-16.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 183

$191 CHF 158

16.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,874

$1,757 CHF 1,449

29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,488

$1,466 CHF 1,210

22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,549

$2,924 CHF 2,412

47.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,716

$2,562 CHF 2,114

28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

13.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

13.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,771

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.07

-5.80%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,271 in Lausanne versus $1,757 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 $121 in Lausanne versus $122 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $592 vs $599 – making Lausanne 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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lausanne is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,648 per month in Lausanne and $5,187 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 $3,765 in Lausanne and $3,458 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% 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 $3,765 in Lausanne and $3,458 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.