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: $3,565 in Lausanne versus $3,517 in Interlaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,676 in Lausanne versus $5,363 in Interlaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,788 in Lausanne versus $7,209 in Interlaken.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 1% more expensive than Interlaken, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 166% above, Interlaken 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.98

$30.63 CHF 24.23

7.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$143 CHF 113

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.82

$18.72 CHF 14.81

0.05%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.80

$6.12 CHF 4.84

-0.82%

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

$4.91 CHF 3.89

-4.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.62

$8.40 CHF 6.64

14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.65

$7.43 CHF 5.88

13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.30

$3.45 CHF 2.73

20.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.55

$4.14 CHF 3.27

8.21%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.54

$7.42 CHF 5.87

-5.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.74

$29.41 CHF 23.27

-10.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.76

$33.59 CHF 26.58

-14.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 41.11

$48.19 CHF 38.13

7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$3.63 CHF 2.87

-0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.33 CHF 1.84

-6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$2.90 CHF 2.29

1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.09

$6.17 CHF 4.88

4.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.46 CHF 1.95

2.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-3.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.10

$1.38 CHF 1.09

0.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.65

$10.97 CHF 8.68

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.75

$20.39 CHF 16.13

-20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.53

$3.30 CHF 2.61

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.75

$3.80 CHF 3.00

24.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.2

$100 CHF 79.5

-2.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.31

$8.06 CHF 6.37

-0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.58

$4.21 CHF 3.33

-22.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.4

$80.9 CHF 64.0

-16.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.14 CHF 1.69

0.47%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.5K

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

0.15%

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

$41.7K CHF 33.0K

$42.1K CHF 33.3K

-0.99%

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

$322 CHF 255

$264 CHF 208

22.22%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.79

$47.90 CHF 37.89

5.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.57

$58.4 CHF 46.23

-1.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 60.1

$89.1 CHF 70.5

-14.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.74

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.01

$22.39 CHF 17.71

18.62%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,186

$2,912 CHF 2,304

-5.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

$35.1K CHF 27.8K

-2.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.2

$138 CHF 109

-20.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.6

$66.6 CHF 52.7

5.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$146 CHF 115

2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$187 CHF 148

-0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,451

$1,703 CHF 1,348

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,176

$1,479 CHF 1,170

0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,787

$2,835 CHF 2,243

24.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,329

$2,501 CHF 1,978

17.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.5K

$12.9K CHF 10.2K

51.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$8,933 CHF 7,067

61.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,989

$7,452 CHF 5,895

1.60%

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 Interlaken: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,703 in Interlaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 2% 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: $145 in Lausanne vs $143 in Interlaken. Groceries flip the comparison at $651 vs $676, 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

Interlaken is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Lausanne pays 2% more on average, 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 $1,703 in Interlaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,565 per month in Lausanne versus $3,517 in Interlaken – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Interlaken runs roughly 3% less than in Lausanne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Interlaken is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Interlaken is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lausanne, 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 Interlaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.