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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,824 per month in Lausanne vs $3,410 in Glarus, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,908 per month in Lausanne vs $5,117 in Glarus, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,993 per month in Lausanne vs $6,823 in Glarus, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 12% more than Glarus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lausanne and Glarus sit above the global median – Lausanne by 178%, Glarus by 148%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.49 CHF 25.61

$29.52 CHF 24.00

6.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.7

$122 CHF 99.0

-2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.27 CHF 15.67

$18.18 CHF 14.78

6.00%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$6.17 CHF 5.01

2.43%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.30

$3.79 CHF 3.08

39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.32

$3.92 CHF 3.19

4.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.47 CHF 8.51

$9.45 CHF 7.68

10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.07

$6.37 CHF 5.18

55.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.86

$2.18 CHF 1.77

4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.23

$3.30 CHF 2.68

20.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.66

$2.90 CHF 2.36

13.10%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.14

$7.86 CHF 6.39

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.73 CHF 20.10

$8.88 CHF 7.22

178.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.61 CHF 23.26

$14.68 CHF 11.93

94.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.20 CHF 32.68

$39.60 CHF 32.20

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.99

$3.18 CHF 2.58

15.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.65 CHF 1.34

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$2.38 CHF 1.94

6.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$5.53 CHF 4.50

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$1.68 CHF 1.37

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

$2.15 CHF 1.75

-7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CHF 1.65

$2.31 CHF 1.88

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CHF 1.46

$1.23 CHF 1.00

46.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.10

$10.93 CHF 8.88

2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 CHF 12.75

$11.32 CHF 9.21

38.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$2.15 CHF 1.75

25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.62

$2.36 CHF 1.92

36.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$6.33 CHF 5.15

-28.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 79.2

$227 CHF 184

-57.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.36

$6.72 CHF 5.47

16.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$4.85 CHF 3.95

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.9

$79.9 CHF 65.0

10.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.21 CHF 1.80

6.79%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

$35.7K CHF 29.0K

25.06%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

0.47%

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

$305 CHF 248

$324 CHF 263

-5.77%

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

$38.30 CHF 31.14

$38.59 CHF 31.37

-0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CHF 41.91

$54.8 CHF 44.51

-5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CHF 60.3

$167 CHF 135

-55.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.27

$42.68 CHF 34.70

18.93%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$25.71 CHF 20.90

-2.88%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,476

$2,370 CHF 1,927

28.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

17.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$104 CHF 84.9

37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 CHF 63.4

$43.38 CHF 35.26

79.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 114

$135 CHF 110

4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 182

$101 CHF 81.9

122.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CHF 1,901

$1,762 CHF 1,432

32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,485

$1,407 CHF 1,144

29.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,623

$3,052 CHF 2,482

45.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,696

$2,336 CHF 1,899

41.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,640

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.1

-7.14%

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

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Glarus: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,339 in Lausanne versus $1,762 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 $119 in Lausanne versus $122 in Glarus. Groceries tell a different story – $598 in Lausanne vs $451 in Glarus – so Glarus 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 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,736 per month in Lausanne and $5,115 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 133% less in Glarus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,045 per month in Lausanne and $2,370 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 $3,824 in Lausanne and $3,410 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.