Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Montreux Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Montreux

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $3,993 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $5,756 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $7,519 in Montreux.

Living in Lausanne costs roughly 9% less than in Montreux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Montreux 199% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.28

$30.86 CHF 24.99

5.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

-0.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.43

$18.76 CHF 15.20

1.55%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.78

$6.09 CHF 4.93

-3.12%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$5.51 CHF 4.46

-1.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$4.90 CHF 3.97

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.19

$10.00 CHF 8.10

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.17

$8.49 CHF 6.88

4.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.86 CHF 3.12

5.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.54

$4.39 CHF 3.56

-0.46%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.97

$7.29 CHF 5.91

1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$28.22 CHF 22.86

-6.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.15

$28.54 CHF 23.11

0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 43.07

$43.93 CHF 35.58

21.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.08

$4.02 CHF 3.26

-5.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.16 CHF 1.75

-0.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.91 CHF 2.36

-0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$6.64 CHF 5.38

-0.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$3.15 CHF 2.55

-22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.57 CHF 1.27

-10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.94

$11.06 CHF 8.96

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.47

$13.75 CHF 11.14

11.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.04 CHF 1.65

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$3.11 CHF 2.52

5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.91

$4.15 CHF 3.36

16.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.8

$91.3 CHF 73.9

5.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$7.97 CHF 6.45

-3.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$4.13 CHF 3.35

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.6

$66.8 CHF 54.1

-0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-2.68%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

$40.4K CHF 32.8K

-2.05%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$41.1K CHF 33.3K

-1.03%

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

$331 CHF 268

$298 CHF 241

11.08%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.52

$50.9 CHF 41.22

-1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.77

$57.7 CHF 46.73

0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.5

$80.5 CHF 65.2

-2.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.25

$37.31 CHF 30.22

29.88%

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$22.78 CHF 18.45

15.67%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,303

$2,625 CHF 2,126

8.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$34.5K CHF 27.9K

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$110 CHF 89.2

-0.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 56.0

$70.7 CHF 57.3

-2.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$177 CHF 143

-13.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,486

$2,182 CHF 1,767

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,195

$1,999 CHF 1,619

-26.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,960

$3,322 CHF 2,691

10.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,413

$2,802 CHF 2,269

6.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

15.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$12.2K CHF 9,920

16.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,275

$7,997 CHF 6,478

-18.57%

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 Montreux: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $2,182 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 23% 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: $148 in Lausanne vs $148 in Montreux. Groceries flip the comparison at $655 vs $632, with Montreux 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 Montreux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Montreux differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($3,619 vs $3,993 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Montreux. 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 $2,182 in Montreux. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lausanne – a meal for two runs $148 versus $148 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,619 per month in Lausanne versus $3,993 in Montreux – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lausanne and Montreux 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 10% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.