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: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $2,973 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $4,526 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $6,078 in Olten.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 22% more expensive than in Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Olten 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.28

$31.25 CHF 25.31

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$103 CHF 83.2

43.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.43

$17.04 CHF 13.81

11.80%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.78

$5.51 CHF 4.46

7.08%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$5.20 CHF 4.21

4.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$4.51 CHF 3.65

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.19

$7.27 CHF 5.89

39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.17

$6.26 CHF 5.07

41.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.07 CHF 1.67

8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.42 CHF 2.77

19.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.54

$4.08 CHF 3.30

7.11%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.97

$7.52 CHF 6.09

-1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$21.94 CHF 17.77

20.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.15

$25.36 CHF 20.54

12.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 43.07

$40.38 CHF 32.70

31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.08

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-14.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-4.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$5.04 CHF 4.08

31.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.73 CHF 2.21

-10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.30 CHF 1.86

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-6.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.94

$11.01 CHF 8.92

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.47

$13.29 CHF 10.76

15.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.07 CHF 1.67

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$2.43 CHF 1.97

34.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.91

$3.86 CHF 3.13

25.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.8

$98.2 CHF 79.6

-2.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$7.74 CHF 6.27

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$4.21 CHF 3.41

-18.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.6

$62.7 CHF 50.8

5.47%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

-0.29%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

1.71%

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

$331 CHF 268

$254 CHF 206

29.99%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.52

$33.62 CHF 27.24

48.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.77

$58.1 CHF 47.04

-0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.5

$62.4 CHF 50.5

25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.25

$18.77 CHF 15.21

158.18%

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$25.09 CHF 20.32

5.02%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,303

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-17.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-12.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$139 CHF 113

-20.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 56.0

$60.7 CHF 49.15

13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$146 CHF 118

4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$198 CHF 160

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,486

$1,256 CHF 1,017

46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,195

$1,048 CHF 849

40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,960

$1,956 CHF 1,585

86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,413

$1,697 CHF 1,374

75.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

27.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

14.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,275

$4,205 CHF 3,406

54.85%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,256 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 55% 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 $103 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $655 vs $571 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 22% in total monthly costs ($3,619 vs $2,973 including rent). Olten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Lausanne, 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 $1,256 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 $103 versus $148 in Lausanne. 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 $2,973 in Olten – a 22% 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 22% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.