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: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $3,538 in Interlaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $5,361 in Interlaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $7,183 in Interlaken.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 2% more expensive than in Interlaken, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Interlaken 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.28

$30.95 CHF 25.07

4.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$140 CHF 114

5.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.43

$18.83 CHF 15.26

1.17%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.78

$6.16 CHF 4.99

-4.22%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$5.44 CHF 4.41

-0.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$4.91 CHF 3.98

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.19

$8.09 CHF 6.55

25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.17

$7.28 CHF 5.89

21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.22 CHF 1.80

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.57 CHF 2.89

14.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.54

$4.19 CHF 3.39

4.30%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.97

$7.33 CHF 5.94

0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$28.90 CHF 23.41

-8.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.15

$33.71 CHF 27.31

-15.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 43.07

$47.39 CHF 38.38

12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.08

$3.69 CHF 2.99

2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-4.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.85 CHF 2.31

1.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$6.46 CHF 5.23

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.51 CHF 2.03

-3.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.63 CHF 2.13

-3.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.36 CHF 1.10

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.94

$11.22 CHF 9.09

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.47

$13.02 CHF 10.55

18.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$3.36 CHF 2.72

-2.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.91

$3.84 CHF 3.11

25.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.8

$97.4 CHF 78.9

-1.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$7.81 CHF 6.32

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$4.11 CHF 3.33

-16.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.6

$78.9 CHF 63.9

-16.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-1.36%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

-0.03%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$42.0K CHF 34.0K

-3.21%

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

$331 CHF 268

$261 CHF 211

26.87%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.52

$49.01 CHF 39.70

2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.77

$58.2 CHF 47.11

-0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.5

$89.4 CHF 72.5

-12.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.25

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$22.38 CHF 18.13

17.74%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,303

$2,952 CHF 2,391

-3.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$35.1K CHF 28.5K

-1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$134 CHF 109

-18.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 56.0

$66.9 CHF 54.2

3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$151 CHF 122

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$190 CHF 154

-3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,486

$1,677 CHF 1,358

9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,195

0.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,960

$2,854 CHF 2,312

28.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,413

$2,464 CHF 1,996

20.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$12.0K CHF 9,750

54.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$8,605 CHF 6,970

65.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,275

$7,418 CHF 6,008

-12.21%

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 Interlaken: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,677 in Interlaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in Lausanne vs $140 in Interlaken. Groceries flip the comparison at $655 vs $661, 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 14% 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: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,677 in Interlaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,619 per month in Lausanne versus $3,538 in Interlaken – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Interlaken runs roughly 1% 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 2% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.