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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,565 per month in Lausanne vs $3,362 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,676 per month in Lausanne vs $5,166 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,788 per month in Lausanne vs $6,970 in Arbon, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 6% more than Arbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lausanne and Arbon sit above the global median – Lausanne by 166%, Arbon by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.89

$30.71 CHF 24.21

6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

$140 CHF 110

3.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.77

$17.11 CHF 13.49

9.47%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$6.33 CHF 4.99

-4.11%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$5.27 CHF 4.15

6.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.71

$4.33 CHF 3.41

8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.60

$7.71 CHF 6.08

25.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.63

$7.51 CHF 5.92

11.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.17 CHF 1.71

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.29

$2.66 CHF 2.10

56.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.53

$3.64 CHF 2.87

23.08%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.52

$7.87 CHF 6.20

-10.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.67

$27.41 CHF 21.61

-4.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.69

$31.88 CHF 25.14

-9.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 40.97

$40.41 CHF 31.86

28.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$3.14 CHF 2.47

14.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$1.84 CHF 1.45

19.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.32

$2.55 CHF 2.01

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.07

$6.51 CHF 5.14

-1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.50 CHF 1.97

0.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.85

$2.28 CHF 1.80

3.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.55 CHF 2.01

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.09

$1.15 CHF 0.90

20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

$10.80 CHF 8.51

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.70

$11.87 CHF 9.36

35.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.25 CHF 1.77

-10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.52

$2.29 CHF 1.81

39.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.73

$3.90 CHF 3.07

21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.0

$100 CHF 79.2

-2.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.29

$6.74 CHF 5.32

18.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$4.26 CHF 3.36

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.3

$80.5 CHF 63.5

-16.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.11 CHF 1.66

1.90%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$40.5K CHF 31.9K

1.55%

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

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

$43.1K CHF 34.0K

-3.18%

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

$322 CHF 254

$248 CHF 196

29.61%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.66

$59.2 CHF 46.67

-15.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.42

$53.7 CHF 42.31

7.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 59.9

$87.6 CHF 69.1

-13.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 20.94

$22.44 CHF 17.69

18.36%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,178

$2,843 CHF 2,242

-2.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

$43.5K CHF 34.3K

-21.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 86.9

$140 CHF 111

-21.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.4

$65.8 CHF 51.9

6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$133 CHF 105

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$162 CHF 127

14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,446

$1,683 CHF 1,327

8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,172

$1,492 CHF 1,176

-0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,777

$2,865 CHF 2,259

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,321

$2,423 CHF 1,910

21.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

37.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$11.6K CHF 9,140

24.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,969

$11.4K CHF 8,986

-33.57%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,683 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 51% 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 $145 in Lausanne versus $140 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $651 vs $602 – making Arbon 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: $3,565 in Lausanne, $3,362 in Arbon – roughly 6% apart. Lausanne costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,347 per month in Lausanne and $5,043 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 $3,565 in Lausanne and $3,362 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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 $3,565 in Lausanne and $3,362 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 $3,362 in Arbon to $3,565 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.