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: $3,565 in Lausanne versus $3,974 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,676 in Lausanne versus $5,958 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,788 in Lausanne versus $7,942 in Dubendorf.

Living in Lausanne costs roughly 10% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 166% above, Dubendorf 197% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.98

$30.79 CHF 24.36

6.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$150 CHF 119

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.82

$18.42 CHF 14.57

1.68%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.80

$6.38 CHF 5.05

-4.86%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.43

$5.85 CHF 4.63

-4.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.72

$5.40 CHF 4.27

-12.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.62

$7.41 CHF 5.87

30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.65

$6.99 CHF 5.53

20.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.15 CHF 1.70

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.30

$3.26 CHF 2.58

27.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.55

$4.08 CHF 3.23

9.80%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.54

$7.26 CHF 5.74

-3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.74

$29.29 CHF 23.17

-10.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.76

$31.91 CHF 25.24

-9.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 41.11

$49.09 CHF 38.84

5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$3.18 CHF 2.51

13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.81 CHF 2.22

-22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$3.09 CHF 2.44

-4.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.09

$7.09 CHF 5.61

-9.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.78 CHF 2.20

-9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.27 CHF 1.80

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.55 CHF 2.02

-2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.10

$1.73 CHF 1.37

-19.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.65

$11.01 CHF 8.71

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.75

$15.50 CHF 12.27

3.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.53

$2.95 CHF 2.33

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.75

$7.71 CHF 6.10

-38.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.2

$123 CHF 97.5

-20.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.31

$6.87 CHF 5.43

16.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.58

$4.25 CHF 3.36

-23.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.4

$79.7 CHF 63.1

-15.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-6.93%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.5K

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

3.71%

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

$41.7K CHF 33.0K

$40.2K CHF 31.8K

3.79%

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

$322 CHF 255

$260 CHF 206

23.65%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.79

$35.53 CHF 28.11

41.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.57

$52.7 CHF 41.70

9.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 60.1

$87.4 CHF 69.1

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.74

$55.8 CHF 44.11

-14.42%

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.01

$25.12 CHF 19.87

5.73%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,186

$2,686 CHF 2,125

2.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

-13.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.2

$147 CHF 116

-25.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.6

$64.5 CHF 51.0

8.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$147 CHF 117

0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$202 CHF 160

-8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,451

$1,855 CHF 1,467

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,176

$1,860 CHF 1,472

-20.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,787

$2,681 CHF 2,121

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,329

$2,917 CHF 2,307

0.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.5K

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

39.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$10.0K CHF 7,912

44.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,989

$4,069 CHF 3,219

86.06%

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 Dubendorf: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,855 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 86% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $145 in Lausanne vs $150 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $651 vs $667 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 11% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $3,974 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lausanne pays 86% more on average, 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: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,855 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,565 per month in Lausanne versus $3,974 in Dubendorf – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 26% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lausanne 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 Lausanne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.