Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,565 in Lausanne versus $2,941 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,676 in Lausanne versus $4,458 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,788 in Lausanne versus $5,975 in Olten.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 21% more expensive than Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 166% above, Olten 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.92

$30.87 CHF 24.36

6.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$105 CHF 82.9

38.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.78

$17.57 CHF 13.86

6.60%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$5.47 CHF 4.31

10.97%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$5.34 CHF 4.22

4.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.71

$4.62 CHF 3.65

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.60

$6.88 CHF 5.43

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.64

$6.29 CHF 4.97

33.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.09 CHF 1.65

4.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.29

$3.40 CHF 2.68

22.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.54

$4.12 CHF 3.26

8.74%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.53

$7.54 CHF 5.95

-7.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.69

$21.64 CHF 17.07

21.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.71

$25.89 CHF 20.43

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 41.01

$40.22 CHF 31.74

29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$4.04 CHF 3.19

-10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$2.97 CHF 2.35

-0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.08

$5.05 CHF 3.99

27.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.75 CHF 2.17

-8.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.37 CHF 1.87

-0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.46 CHF 1.94

1.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.10

$1.52 CHF 1.20

-8.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.63

$10.95 CHF 8.64

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.72

$15.42 CHF 12.17

4.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.53

$2.42 CHF 1.91

32.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.74

$3.93 CHF 3.10

20.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.0

$100 CHF 79.0

-2.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.30

$7.53 CHF 5.94

5.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$4.14 CHF 3.27

-21.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.3

$61.5 CHF 48.53

9.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.28 CHF 1.80

-5.70%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

1.03%

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

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

6.08%

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

$322 CHF 254

$260 CHF 205

23.80%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.70

$33.65 CHF 26.56

49.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.46

$57.7 CHF 45.54

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 60.0

$61.3 CHF 48.36

23.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.65

$18.65 CHF 14.72

155.82%

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 20.96

$24.88 CHF 19.64

6.75%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,180

$3,433 CHF 2,709

-19.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

-13.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.0

$141 CHF 111

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.4

$61.2 CHF 48.33

14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$150 CHF 118

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$198 CHF 156

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,448

$1,248 CHF 985

46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,173

$1,063 CHF 839

39.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,780

$1,987 CHF 1,568

77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,323

$1,708 CHF 1,348

72.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,975

$4,351 CHF 3,433

74.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.09

19.62%

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

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Last update for Olten: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,248 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 74% 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 $105 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $651 vs $576 per month, with Olten cheaper across the board.

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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Olten differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $2,941 including rent). Olten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lausanne pays 74% 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 $1,248 in Olten. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Olten – a meal for two runs $105 versus $145 in Lausanne. 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 $2,941 in Olten – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Olten 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 Olten 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 Olten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.