Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Rapperswil Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Rapperswil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $3,390 in Rapperswil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $5,153 in Rapperswil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $6,915 in Rapperswil.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 15% more expensive than in Rapperswil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, Rapperswil 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 25.18

$24.98 CHF 20.39

23.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 97.9

$98.7 CHF 80.6

21.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.45

$16.65 CHF 13.58

13.75%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.07

$6.31 CHF 5.15

-1.58%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.30

$4.97 CHF 4.06

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.72

$8.81 CHF 7.19

21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.15

$6.15 CHF 5.02

62.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.83

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.32

$3.49 CHF 2.85

16.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$4.33 CHF 3.53

-23.33%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.82

$7.98 CHF 6.51

-10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.38

$27.06 CHF 22.08

-7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.25

$26.59 CHF 21.70

7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.65

$40.99 CHF 33.45

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$3.69 CHF 3.01

1.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$2.11 CHF 1.72

2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$2.63 CHF 2.15

-0.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.88

$4.81 CHF 3.93

-1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.48

$2.09 CHF 1.71

-13.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-12.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$2.49 CHF 2.03

-17.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.39

$1.39 CHF 1.13

23.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.90

$11.15 CHF 9.10

-2.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.42

$13.57 CHF 11.08

12.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$2.25 CHF 1.84

21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.72

$2.82 CHF 2.30

18.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$4.25 CHF 3.47

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.8

$104 CHF 85.3

-8.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.36

$7.67 CHF 6.26

1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.85

$5.08 CHF 4.15

-7.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$88.8 CHF 72.4

-3.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-0.44%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$43.2K CHF 35.2K

2.32%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

0.89%

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

$295 CHF 240

$238 CHF 194

23.86%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.65

$32.75 CHF 26.73

14.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.78

$67.8 CHF 55.3

-24.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 59.2

$82.5 CHF 67.3

-12.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 41.15

$46.95 CHF 38.31

7.39%

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.84

$22.15 CHF 18.08

9.75%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,463

$2,865 CHF 2,338

5.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.3K

$45.2K CHF 36.9K

-17.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 118

$142 CHF 116

2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.8

$88.2 CHF 72.0

-11.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$149 CHF 122

-3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 177

$177 CHF 144

23.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,861

$1,906 CHF 1,556

19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,508

$1,503 CHF 1,226

22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,580

$2,946 CHF 2,404

48.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,672

$2,475 CHF 2,020

32.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

$17.2K CHF 14.0K

9.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

$11.6K CHF 9,443

25.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,724

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.72

13.37%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rapperswil: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Lausanne and $1,906 in Rapperswil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $120 in Lausanne vs $99.0 in Rapperswil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $591 per month, with Rapperswil 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 Rapperswil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Rapperswil differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $3,390 including rent). Rapperswil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,850 in Lausanne and $5,085 in Rapperswil to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,280 in Lausanne versus $1,906 in Rapperswil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rapperswil – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $120 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,900 per month in Lausanne versus $3,390 in Rapperswil – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Rapperswil 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 Rapperswil 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 Rapperswil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.