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: $3,765 in Lausanne versus $3,525 in Montreux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,871 in Lausanne versus $5,306 in Montreux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,978 in Lausanne versus $7,088 in Montreux.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 7% more expensive than in Montreux, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 175% above, Montreux 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 25.08

$31.18 CHF 25.74

-2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.6

$135 CHF 112

-10.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.54

$18.32 CHF 15.12

2.78%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.95

$6.24 CHF 5.15

-3.85%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$5.22 CHF 4.31

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.53

$4.28 CHF 3.54

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.61

$10.09 CHF 8.33

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.12

$9.86 CHF 8.14

-0.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.87

$2.26 CHF 1.86

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.21

$3.60 CHF 2.97

8.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.78

$3.25 CHF 2.69

3.69%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.82

$7.14 CHF 5.89

-1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.85

$25.65 CHF 21.17

-1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.46

$27.97 CHF 23.09

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$40.15 CHF 33.14

-2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 3.00

$3.73 CHF 3.08

-2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$1.71 CHF 1.41

25.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.06

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.87

$4.51 CHF 3.72

3.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.49

$1.91 CHF 1.57

-5.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.62

$2.07 CHF 1.71

-5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$2.10 CHF 1.73

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.41

$1.77 CHF 1.46

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 9.08

$11.28 CHF 9.31

-2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.46

$12.30 CHF 10.15

22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.27

$2.73 CHF 2.25

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.64

$3.36 CHF 2.77

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.74

$4.46 CHF 3.68

1.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.7

$100 CHF 82.9

-5.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.55

$7.86 CHF 6.48

0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.89

$3.84 CHF 3.17

22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.8

$64.4 CHF 53.2

33.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-5.06%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

10.03%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

$40.9K CHF 33.7K

-3.64%

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

$301 CHF 248

$294 CHF 242

2.49%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.62

$37.71 CHF 31.13

1.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.63

$51.6 CHF 42.60

-2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.4

$90.9 CHF 75.0

-19.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 40.01

$46.17 CHF 38.11

4.98%

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.93

$24.22 CHF 19.99

-0.33%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,397

$2,433 CHF 2,008

19.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

$36.4K CHF 30.0K

3.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 121

$141 CHF 116

4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.3

$80.1 CHF 66.1

-2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 116

$166 CHF 137

-15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 183

$192 CHF 158

15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,875

$1,771 CHF 1,462

28.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,488

$1,481 CHF 1,222

21.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,551

$2,938 CHF 2,425

46.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,718

$2,555 CHF 2,109

28.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

13.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

14.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,774

$8,061 CHF 6,653

-13.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for Montreux: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,271 in Lausanne and $1,771 in Montreux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Lausanne vs $135 in Montreux. Groceries flip the comparison at $592 vs $583, 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 7% in total monthly costs ($3,765 vs $3,525 including rent). Montreux is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $2,271 in Lausanne versus $1,771 in Montreux. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreux – a meal for two runs $135 versus $121 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,765 per month in Lausanne versus $3,525 in Montreux – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Montreux 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 Montreux gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.