Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Arbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Arbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,824 per month in Lausanne vs $3,446 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,908 per month in Lausanne vs $5,324 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,993 per month in Lausanne vs $7,202 in Arbon, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 11% more than Arbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lausanne and Arbon sit above the global median – Lausanne by 178%, Arbon by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.49 CHF 25.61

$31.29 CHF 25.44

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.7

$150 CHF 122

-20.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.27 CHF 15.67

$19.92 CHF 16.19

-3.26%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$6.29 CHF 5.11

0.48%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.30

$6.09 CHF 4.95

-13.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.32

$5.47 CHF 4.44

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.47 CHF 8.51

$9.32 CHF 7.57

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.07

$6.35 CHF 5.16

56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.86

$2.27 CHF 1.85

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.23

$3.17 CHF 2.58

25.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.66

$3.73 CHF 3.04

-12.06%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.14

$8.07 CHF 6.56

-6.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.73 CHF 20.10

$25.89 CHF 21.05

-4.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.61 CHF 23.26

$28.96 CHF 23.54

-1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.20 CHF 32.68

$42.89 CHF 34.87

-6.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.99

$3.64 CHF 2.96

1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$2.02 CHF 1.64

3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$2.39 CHF 1.94

5.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$5.35 CHF 4.35

-14.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$2.00 CHF 1.62

-9.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

$2.27 CHF 1.85

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CHF 1.65

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-12.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CHF 1.46

$1.22 CHF 1.00

47.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.10

$11.34 CHF 9.22

-1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 CHF 12.75

$17.57 CHF 14.28

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$2.27 CHF 1.85

18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.62

$2.32 CHF 1.88

38.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$4.22 CHF 3.43

7.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 79.2

$91.0 CHF 74.0

7.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.36

$6.63 CHF 5.39

17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$4.70 CHF 3.82

0.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.9

$81.2 CHF 66.0

8.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.33 CHF 1.89

1.29%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

22.78%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

-2.12%

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

$305 CHF 248

$228 CHF 186

33.57%

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

$38.30 CHF 31.14

$38.84 CHF 31.58

-1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CHF 41.91

$56.5 CHF 45.93

-8.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CHF 60.3

$79.5 CHF 64.6

-6.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.27

$53.5 CHF 43.48

-5.09%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$24.06 CHF 19.56

3.78%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,476

$2,309 CHF 1,877

31.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

18.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$146 CHF 118

-1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 CHF 63.4

$66.2 CHF 53.8

17.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 114

$149 CHF 121

-5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 182

$188 CHF 153

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CHF 1,901

$1,556 CHF 1,265

50.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,485

$1,342 CHF 1,091

36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,623

$2,878 CHF 2,340

54.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,696

$2,721 CHF 2,212

21.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

0.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

$11.5K CHF 9,379

24.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,640

$11.6K CHF 9,446

-40.28%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,339 in Lausanne versus $1,556 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 67% 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 $119 in Lausanne versus $150 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $598 vs $605 – 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 Arbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,824 in Lausanne, $3,446 in Arbon – roughly 11% apart. Lausanne costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,736 per month in Lausanne and $5,170 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 $3,824 in Lausanne and $3,446 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $3,824 in Lausanne and $3,446 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 $3,446 in Arbon to $3,824 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.