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: $3,565 in Lausanne versus $4,058 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,676 in Lausanne versus $5,760 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,788 in Lausanne versus $7,462 in Montreux.

Living in Lausanne costs roughly 12% less than in Montreux, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 166% above, Montreux 203% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.89

$30.25 CHF 23.85

8.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

$149 CHF 118

-2.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.77

$18.89 CHF 14.90

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$6.02 CHF 4.74

0.83%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.71

$4.75 CHF 3.74

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.60

$9.61 CHF 7.58

0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.63

$8.67 CHF 6.84

-3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.29

$3.80 CHF 3.00

9.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.53

$4.41 CHF 3.48

1.59%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.52

$7.04 CHF 5.55

-0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.67

$29.06 CHF 22.91

-9.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.69

$28.44 CHF 22.42

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 40.97

$43.85 CHF 34.57

18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$4.01 CHF 3.16

-10.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.16 CHF 1.70

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.32

$2.89 CHF 2.28

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.07

$6.40 CHF 5.05

0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$3.17 CHF 2.50

-20.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.85

$2.43 CHF 1.91

-3.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.52 CHF 1.99

-1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.09

$1.57 CHF 1.24

-11.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

$10.89 CHF 8.59

0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.70

$14.17 CHF 11.17

13.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.03 CHF 1.60

-0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.52

$3.04 CHF 2.39

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.73

$4.03 CHF 3.18

17.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.0

$89.5 CHF 70.6

9.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.29

$8.08 CHF 6.37

-1.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$4.12 CHF 3.25

-20.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.3

$66.7 CHF 52.6

1.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-4.87%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

3.15%

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

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

-0.60%

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

$322 CHF 254

$308 CHF 243

4.50%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.66

$50.1 CHF 39.46

0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.42

$58.1 CHF 45.81

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 59.9

$80.5 CHF 63.4

-5.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

$36.99 CHF 29.16

28.98%

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 20.94

$22.58 CHF 17.81

17.63%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,178

$2,617 CHF 2,064

5.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 86.9

$109 CHF 86.0

1.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.4

$68.6 CHF 54.1

2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$176 CHF 139

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$184 CHF 145

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,446

$2,177 CHF 1,717

-15.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,172

$2,006 CHF 1,582

-25.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,777

$3,327 CHF 2,623

5.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,321

$2,749 CHF 2,167

7.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

17.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$8,808 CHF 6,944

64.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,969

$8,425 CHF 6,642

-10.14%

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 Montreux: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $2,177 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 11% 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 $149 in Montreux. Groceries flip the comparison at $651 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 14% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $4,058 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Montreux earns 11% less. 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 $2,177 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 $145 versus $149 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,565 per month in Lausanne versus $4,058 in Montreux – a 14% 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 14% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.