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: $3,824 in Lausanne versus $3,169 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,908 in Lausanne versus $4,940 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,993 in Lausanne versus $6,712 in Olten.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 178% above, Olten 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.49 CHF 25.48

$34.18 CHF 27.65

-7.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.2

$123 CHF 99.9

-3.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.27 CHF 15.59

$17.95 CHF 14.52

7.35%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.12

$6.59 CHF 5.33

-4.10%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.28

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-5.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-25.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.47 CHF 8.47

$9.34 CHF 7.56

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.03

$7.56 CHF 6.12

31.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.85

$2.27 CHF 1.83

0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.21

$3.99 CHF 3.22

-0.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.65

$3.89 CHF 3.15

-15.68%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.11

$8.76 CHF 7.09

-13.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.73 CHF 20.00

$25.96 CHF 21.00

-4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.61 CHF 23.15

$27.37 CHF 22.14

4.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.20 CHF 32.52

$47.48 CHF 38.42

-15.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.98

$4.25 CHF 3.44

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.83 CHF 2.29

-25.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$3.07 CHF 2.48

-17.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.68

$4.86 CHF 3.93

-6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.47

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-32.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.60

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-18.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CHF 1.46

$1.30 CHF 1.05

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.05

$11.06 CHF 8.95

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 CHF 12.69

$13.74 CHF 11.12

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.18

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.61

$3.16 CHF 2.55

1.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.68

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-15.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 78.8

$109 CHF 88.6

-10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.33

$8.24 CHF 6.67

-5.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.83

$4.80 CHF 3.88

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.5

$90.3 CHF 73.0

-2.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.28 CHF 1.85

3.51%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

9.90%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

0.48%

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

$305 CHF 247

$287 CHF 233

6.05%

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

$38.30 CHF 30.99

$34.09 CHF 27.58

12.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CHF 41.70

$49.15 CHF 39.76

4.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CHF 60.0

$82.9 CHF 67.1

-10.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.07

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.20

$21.24 CHF 17.18

17.56%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,463

$3,643 CHF 2,947

-16.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K CHF 30.9K

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

-10.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 116

$143 CHF 115

0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 CHF 63.0

$60.4 CHF 48.88

28.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 114

$168 CHF 136

-16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 181

$219 CHF 178

2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CHF 1,892

$1,260 CHF 1,020

85.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,478

$1,058 CHF 856

72.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,605

$1,984 CHF 1,605

124.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,683

$1,954 CHF 1,581

69.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,613

$4,404 CHF 3,563

57.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.07

-5.80%

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

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,339 in Lausanne and $1,260 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 58% 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: $119 in Lausanne vs $123 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $598 vs $631 per month, with Lausanne 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 ($3,824 vs $3,169 including rent). Olten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $2,339 in Lausanne versus $1,260 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 $123 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,824 per month in Lausanne versus $3,169 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.