Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Arbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Arbon: $3,464 a month against $3,716 in Lausanne, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lausanne outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

181

Cost of Living Index in Lausanne
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Lausanne Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Arbon
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Arbon Living Index

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Lausanne

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,716

/mo nomad

Arbon

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,464

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lausanne and in Arbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lausanne and in Arbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,716 per month in Lausanne vs $3,464 in Arbon, rent included.

Lausanne $3,716
Arbon $3,464

A couple spends around $5,694 per month in Lausanne vs $5,192 in Arbon, rent included.

Lausanne $5,694
Arbon $5,192

A family of three spends $7,671 per month in Lausanne vs $6,920 in Arbon, rent included.

Lausanne $7,671
Arbon $6,920

Lausanne costs about 7% more than Arbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lausanne and Arbon sit above the global median – Lausanne by 175%, Arbon by 157%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.26 CHF 24.92

$29.53 CHF 24.33

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 CHF 94.9

$144 CHF 118

-19.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.67 CHF 14.55

$18.95 CHF 15.61

-6.75%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.08

$6.11 CHF 5.03

0.98%

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

$5.08 CHF 4.18

$5.74 CHF 4.73

-11.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.37

$5.09 CHF 4.19

-19.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.38 CHF 8.55

$9.00 CHF 7.42

15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 CHF 8.12

$6.17 CHF 5.08

59.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.84

$2.16 CHF 1.78

3.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 CHF 3.24

$3.15 CHF 2.60

25.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.69

$3.79 CHF 3.12

-13.98%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.81

$7.88 CHF 6.49

-10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.39 CHF 20.09

$25.14 CHF 20.71

-2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.45 CHF 22.61

$28.42 CHF 23.41

-3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.74 CHF 31.91

$41.09 CHF 33.84

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 CHF 2.85

$3.42 CHF 2.82

1.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.69

$2.00 CHF 1.65

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 2.01

$2.39 CHF 1.97

2.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 CHF 3.77

$5.28 CHF 4.35

-13.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.46

$2.04 CHF 1.68

-13.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.64

$2.19 CHF 1.80

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 CHF 1.62

$2.28 CHF 1.88

-13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.36

$1.22 CHF 1.01

36.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 CHF 8.71

$10.64 CHF 8.77

-0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.01 CHF 12.36

$16.47 CHF 13.57

-8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.25

$2.12 CHF 1.75

29.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.57

$2.25 CHF 1.85

38.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.65

$4.81 CHF 3.96

-7.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.8 CHF 76.5

$96.0 CHF 79.1

-3.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 CHF 6.55

$6.50 CHF 5.35

22.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.57 CHF 3.76

$4.73 CHF 3.89

-3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.0 CHF 70.0

$36.17 CHF 29.79

135.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.87

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-0.44%

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

$42.3K CHF 34.9K

$34.5K CHF 28.4K

22.91%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

$39.3K CHF 32.4K

0.81%

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

$292 CHF 240

$275 CHF 227

6.02%

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

$36.21 CHF 29.82

$38.11 CHF 31.39

-4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 CHF 41.62

$54.4 CHF 44.78

-7.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.0 CHF 57.7

$90.0 CHF 74.1

-22.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.43 CHF 39.07

$39.06 CHF 32.17

21.43%

Cinema Ticket

$24.44 CHF 20.13

$23.43 CHF 19.29

4.31%

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

$2,850 CHF 2,347

$2,250 CHF 1,853

26.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K CHF 30.5K

$31.3K CHF 25.8K

18.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 117

$143 CHF 118

-0.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.7 CHF 64.0

$65.1 CHF 53.6

19.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 CHF 114

$143 CHF 118

-3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 176

$177 CHF 146

20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 CHF 1,858

$1,561 CHF 1,286

44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 CHF 1,452

$1,521 CHF 1,253

15.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,291 CHF 3,534

$2,904 CHF 2,392

47.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,206 CHF 2,640

$2,322 CHF 1,912

38.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K CHF 15.0K

$13.9K CHF 11.5K

30.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.5K

$13.6K CHF 11.2K

2.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,426 CHF 5,292

$11.1K CHF 9,124

-42.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.9

2.63%

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

Last update for Lausanne: October 13, 2026

Last update for Arbon: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lausanne

$1.8K 47.5%

Arbon

$1.5K 43.9% 13.7% $242

Groceries & Markets

Lausanne

$579 15.6%

Arbon

$588 17% 1.6% $9.3

Eating Out

Lausanne

$477 12.9%

Arbon

$467 13.5% 2.1% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lausanne

$379 10.2%

Arbon

$368 10.6% 2.9% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Lausanne

$257 6.9%

Arbon

$238 6.9% 7.5% $19

Getting Around

Lausanne

$141 3.8%

Arbon

$145 4.2% 2.9% $4.1

Sport & Entertainment

Lausanne

$119 3.2%

Arbon

$137 4% 15.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,256 in Lausanne versus $1,561 in Arbon. 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 72% higher in Arbon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $115 in Lausanne versus $144 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $579 vs $588 – making Lausanne the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Lausanne

🇨🇭 Arbon

🕒 Local time

07:37 7:37 AM

Same time as Lausanne

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

133,521

15,853

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Lausanne Arbon 240 km

From you

Lausanne
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,716 in Lausanne, $3,464 in Arbon – roughly 7% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,574 per month in Lausanne and $5,197 in Arbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arbon, 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 $3,716 in Lausanne and $3,464 in Arbon. That's a gap of about 7%.

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

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,716 in Lausanne and $3,464 in Arbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lausanne has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,464 in Arbon to $3,716 in Lausanne. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arbon. 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.