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: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $3,866 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $5,884 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $7,901 in Dubendorf.

Living in Lausanne costs roughly 6% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Dubendorf 189% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.28

$31.26 CHF 25.32

3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$145 CHF 117

1.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.43

$18.61 CHF 15.07

2.36%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.78

$6.17 CHF 5.00

-4.38%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$5.79 CHF 4.69

-6.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$5.18 CHF 4.19

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.19

$7.44 CHF 6.03

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.17

$7.17 CHF 5.80

23.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.27 CHF 2.65

25.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.54

$4.12 CHF 3.34

6.07%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.97

$7.49 CHF 6.07

-1.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$29.48 CHF 23.88

-10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.15

$31.92 CHF 25.85

-10.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 43.07

$50.4 CHF 40.81

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.08

$3.22 CHF 2.61

18.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.82 CHF 2.29

-23.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$3.14 CHF 2.55

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$7.28 CHF 5.89

-9.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.75 CHF 2.23

-11.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.33 CHF 1.89

3.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.55 CHF 2.06

-0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.71 CHF 1.38

-18.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.94

$11.22 CHF 9.09

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.47

$13.26 CHF 10.74

16.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$2.98 CHF 2.41

9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.91

$7.76 CHF 6.29

-37.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.8

$124 CHF 101

-22.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$6.58 CHF 5.33

16.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$4.24 CHF 3.44

-19.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.6

$79.3 CHF 64.2

-16.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.27 CHF 1.84

-3.96%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

$41.2K CHF 33.4K

-3.88%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

1.59%

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

$331 CHF 268

$260 CHF 211

26.99%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.52

$35.31 CHF 28.60

41.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.77

$52.2 CHF 42.27

10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.5

$86.9 CHF 70.4

-9.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.25

$55.7 CHF 45.12

-13.01%

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$24.42 CHF 19.78

7.90%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,303

$2,732 CHF 2,213

4.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$38.8K CHF 31.4K

-10.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$146 CHF 118

-24.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 56.0

$66.0 CHF 53.4

4.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$146 CHF 118

4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$198 CHF 160

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,486

$1,882 CHF 1,524

-2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,195

$1,830 CHF 1,482

-19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,960

$2,683 CHF 2,173

36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,413

$2,936 CHF 2,378

1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$15.8K CHF 12.8K

18.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

12.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,275

$3,977 CHF 3,221

63.75%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in Lausanne vs $145 in Dubendorf. Groceries flip the comparison at $655 vs $670, with Lausanne cheaper for home cooking.

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 7% in total monthly costs ($3,619 vs $3,866 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% 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: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,882 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,619 per month in Lausanne versus $3,866 in Dubendorf – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 29% 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 7% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.