Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Glarus Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Glarus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,619 per month in Lausanne vs $3,371 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,781 per month in Lausanne vs $5,198 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,944 per month in Lausanne vs $7,024 in Glarus, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 7% more than Glarus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lausanne and Glarus sit above the global median – Lausanne by 171%, Glarus by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.18

$30.97 CHF 24.99

4.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 119

$141 CHF 114

4.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.37

$15.91 CHF 12.84

19.74%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.76

$5.79 CHF 4.67

1.90%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.37

$5.42 CHF 4.37

-0.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.97

$4.25 CHF 3.43

15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.16

$7.35 CHF 5.93

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.14

$7.33 CHF 5.92

20.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.95 CHF 1.57

14.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.30

$2.85 CHF 2.30

43.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.53

$2.21 CHF 1.78

97.74%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.95

$7.98 CHF 6.44

-7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.26

$30.67 CHF 24.75

-14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.06

$35.89 CHF 28.96

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 42.90

$51.3 CHF 41.43

3.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.06

$3.79 CHF 3.05

0.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.73

$2.31 CHF 1.87

-6.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.33

$2.87 CHF 2.32

0.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.34

$6.16 CHF 4.97

7.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.38 CHF 1.92

2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.47 CHF 1.99

-2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$2.58 CHF 2.08

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.13

$1.22 CHF 0.98

14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.90

$11.02 CHF 8.90

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.42

$11.25 CHF 9.08

36.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.69

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.64

$3.48 CHF 2.81

-6.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.90

$6.01 CHF 4.85

-19.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.5

$112 CHF 90.0

-13.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.19

$7.92 CHF 6.39

-3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.76

$4.13 CHF 3.33

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.4

$87.1 CHF 70.3

-24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.14 CHF 1.73

1.87%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$35.3K CHF 28.5K

12.26%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$38.7K CHF 31.3K

4.90%

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

$331 CHF 267

$224 CHF 181

47.31%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.36

$74.4 CHF 60.0

-32.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.59

$48.66 CHF 39.26

18.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.3

$91.4 CHF 73.7

-14.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.10

$43.27 CHF 34.91

11.99%

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.26

$20.61 CHF 16.63

27.85%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,294

$2,895 CHF 2,336

-1.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

$42.3K CHF 34.1K

-18.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 88.8

$139 CHF 113

-21.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 55.8

$75.7 CHF 61.1

-8.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$134 CHF 108

14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 148

$159 CHF 128

15.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,480

$1,668 CHF 1,346

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,191

$1,319 CHF 1,065

11.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,948

$2,892 CHF 2,334

26.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,404

$2,374 CHF 1,915

25.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

$14.1K CHF 11.4K

31.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$10.7K CHF 8,669

32.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,254

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 Glarus: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,668 in Glarus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $148 in Lausanne versus $141 in Glarus. Groceries tell a different story – $655 in Lausanne vs $668 in Glarus – so Lausanne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Glarus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lausanne is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,429 per month in Lausanne and $5,056 in Glarus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Glarus, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Glarus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,843 per month in Lausanne and $2,895 in Glarus. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,619 in Lausanne and $3,371 in Glarus. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Glarus – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Glarus. 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.