Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Interlaken Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Interlaken

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,824 in Lausanne versus $4,045 in Interlaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,908 in Lausanne versus $6,222 in Interlaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,993 in Lausanne versus $8,399 in Interlaken.

Living in Lausanne costs roughly 5% less than in Interlaken, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 178% above, Interlaken 194% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.49 CHF 25.43

$30.88 CHF 24.94

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.0

$98.0 CHF 79.1

21.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.27 CHF 15.56

$18.46 CHF 14.90

4.39%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.11

$5.42 CHF 4.37

16.61%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.27

$5.44 CHF 4.40

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.30

$3.65 CHF 2.95

12.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.47 CHF 8.45

$8.21 CHF 6.63

27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.02

$5.62 CHF 4.54

76.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.84

$1.70 CHF 1.37

34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.20

$3.62 CHF 2.92

9.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.65

$4.79 CHF 3.87

-31.52%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.10

$7.71 CHF 6.23

-2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.73 CHF 19.97

$31.60 CHF 25.52

-21.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.61 CHF 23.10

$30.12 CHF 24.32

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.20 CHF 32.46

$43.77 CHF 35.34

-8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.97

$4.05 CHF 3.27

-9.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$1.65 CHF 1.33

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$2.81 CHF 2.27

-9.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.67

$3.14 CHF 2.54

44.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.47

$1.34 CHF 1.08

35.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.60

$1.77 CHF 1.43

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-9.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CHF 1.45

$1.23 CHF 0.99

46.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.04

$11.34 CHF 9.15

-1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 CHF 12.66

$13.27 CHF 10.72

18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.17

$2.27 CHF 1.84

18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$4.00 CHF 3.23

-19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.68

$4.27 CHF 3.45

6.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 78.7

$202 CHF 163

-51.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.32

$6.23 CHF 5.03

25.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.82

$6.13 CHF 4.95

-22.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.4

$61.4 CHF 49.60

43.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.18 CHF 1.76

8.26%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.1K

$43.2K CHF 34.9K

3.38%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

1.58%

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

$305 CHF 246

$371 CHF 299

-17.74%

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

$38.30 CHF 30.93

$31.64 CHF 25.55

21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CHF 41.63

$75.5 CHF 61.0

-31.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CHF 59.9

$97.0 CHF 78.4

-23.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 40.99

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.17

$28.73 CHF 23.20

-13.09%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,459

$3,768 CHF 3,043

-19.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K CHF 30.8K

$33.3K CHF 26.9K

14.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 116

$159 CHF 128

-9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 CHF 62.9

$124 CHF 100

-37.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 114

$202 CHF 163

-30.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 181

$328 CHF 265

-31.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CHF 1,888

$1,979 CHF 1,598

18.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,475

$1,611 CHF 1,301

13.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,598

$3,404 CHF 2,749

30.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,678

$3,502 CHF 2,828

-5.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

$12.2K CHF 9,885

51.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.6K

$8,576 CHF 6,925

68.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,602

$7,651 CHF 6,178

-9.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.48

-21.37%

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

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Interlaken: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,339 in Lausanne and $1,979 in Interlaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $119 in Lausanne vs $98.0 in Interlaken. Groceries flip the comparison at $598 vs $614, 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 Interlaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Interlaken. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,339 in Lausanne versus $1,979 in Interlaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,824 per month in Lausanne versus $4,045 in Interlaken – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 107% less than in Interlaken. 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.

For families, Lausanne is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Interlaken, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lausanne and Interlaken 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 6% less than in Interlaken. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.