Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $3,847 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $5,701 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $7,554 in Dubendorf.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 1% more expensive than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, Dubendorf 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 25.21

$31.49 CHF 25.74

-2.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 98.0

$125 CHF 102

-3.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.48

$16.63 CHF 13.59

13.89%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.08

$6.28 CHF 5.13

-1.11%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.30

$5.72 CHF 4.68

-8.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$5.02 CHF 4.10

-13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.73

$8.89 CHF 7.26

20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.16

$6.65 CHF 5.43

50.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.83

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.32

$3.85 CHF 3.14

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$4.80 CHF 3.92

-30.83%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.83

$7.47 CHF 6.10

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.41

$32.77 CHF 26.78

-23.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.28

$26.42 CHF 21.59

7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.69

$43.21 CHF 35.31

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.05

$3.68 CHF 3.00

1.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$3.31 CHF 2.70

-20.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.89

$6.82 CHF 5.58

-30.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.48

$2.56 CHF 2.09

-29.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$2.32 CHF 1.90

-14.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$2.46 CHF 2.01

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.40

$1.41 CHF 1.15

21.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.91

$10.93 CHF 8.93

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.43

$13.42 CHF 10.96

13.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.24

$2.30 CHF 1.88

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.72

$2.78 CHF 2.28

19.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$2.49 CHF 2.03

82.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.9

$49.09 CHF 40.12

94.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.37

$5.59 CHF 4.57

39.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.85

$3.53 CHF 2.88

33.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.0

$62.0 CHF 50.7

38.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-0.44%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$42.9K CHF 35.1K

2.93%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$39.8K CHF 32.5K

0.53%

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

$295 CHF 241

$242 CHF 198

21.57%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.70

$31.87 CHF 26.04

17.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.84

$67.3 CHF 55.0

-23.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 59.2

$122 CHF 99.7

-40.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 41.20

$80.6 CHF 65.9

-37.45%

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.87

$24.99 CHF 20.43

-2.72%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,467

$1,876 CHF 1,533

60.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.4K

$33.4K CHF 27.3K

11.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 119

$144 CHF 118

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.8

$88.9 CHF 72.7

-12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$148 CHF 121

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 178

$178 CHF 146

22.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,863

$1,828 CHF 1,493

24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,510

$1,836 CHF 1,500

0.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,585

$2,948 CHF 2,409

48.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,676

$2,918 CHF 2,384

12.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

52.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

$7,532 CHF 6,155

92.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,732

$3,907 CHF 3,192

79.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.48

-21.37%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Lausanne and $1,828 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 80% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $120 in Lausanne vs $125 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $632 per month, with Lausanne cheaper across the board.

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 Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Dubendorf differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $3,847 including rent). Dubendorf is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 80% higher in Lausanne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,280 in Lausanne versus $1,828 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,900 per month in Lausanne versus $3,847 in Dubendorf – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dubendorf runs roughly 94% less than in Lausanne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Dubendorf is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lausanne and Dubendorf are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dubendorf gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.