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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,565 per month in Lausanne vs $3,279 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,676 per month in Lausanne vs $5,259 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,788 per month in Lausanne vs $7,238 in Glarus, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 9% more than Glarus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lausanne and Glarus sit above the global median – Lausanne by 166%, Glarus by 145%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.98

$30.52 CHF 24.15

7.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$140 CHF 111

3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.82

$16.28 CHF 12.88

15.05%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.80

$5.87 CHF 4.65

3.41%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.43

$5.16 CHF 4.08

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.72

$4.41 CHF 3.49

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.62

$7.35 CHF 5.81

31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.65

$7.23 CHF 5.72

16.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.00 CHF 1.58

9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.30

$2.76 CHF 2.18

51.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.55

$2.21 CHF 1.75

102.71%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.54

$7.98 CHF 6.31

-12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.74

$30.90 CHF 24.45

-15.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.76

$35.70 CHF 28.24

-19.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 41.11

$50.4 CHF 39.84

3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$3.68 CHF 2.91

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.32 CHF 1.84

-5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$2.87 CHF 2.27

2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.09

$6.36 CHF 5.03

1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.46 CHF 1.94

2.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.67 CHF 2.11

-6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.10

$1.22 CHF 0.97

13.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.65

$11.14 CHF 8.81

-1.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.75

$13.81 CHF 10.93

16.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.53

$3.31 CHF 2.62

-3.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.75

$6.01 CHF 4.76

-21.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.2

$110 CHF 87.1

-11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.31

$8.28 CHF 6.55

-3.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.58

$4.29 CHF 3.39

-24.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.4

$88.5 CHF 70.0

-23.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.05 CHF 1.62

4.88%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.5K

$35.1K CHF 27.8K

16.95%

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

$41.7K CHF 33.0K

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

6.04%

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

$322 CHF 255

$225 CHF 178

43.35%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.79

$72.9 CHF 57.7

-31.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.57

$49.82 CHF 39.41

15.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 60.1

$92.6 CHF 73.3

-17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.74

$43.93 CHF 34.76

8.60%

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.01

$19.94 CHF 15.77

33.20%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,186

$2,938 CHF 2,325

-5.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

$43.2K CHF 34.2K

-20.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.2

$140 CHF 111

-21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.6

$78.3 CHF 61.9

-10.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$134 CHF 106

11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$157 CHF 124

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,451

$1,631 CHF 1,290

12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,176

$1,328 CHF 1,051

11.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,787

$2,844 CHF 2,250

23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,329

$2,349 CHF 1,859

25.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.5K

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

40.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$11.4K CHF 9,033

26.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,989

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 Glarus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,631 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 $145 in Lausanne versus $140 in Glarus. Groceries tell a different story – $651 in Lausanne vs $670 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 9%, 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 $5,347 per month in Lausanne and $4,919 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 13% less in Glarus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,763 per month in Lausanne and $2,938 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 $3,565 in Lausanne and $3,279 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.