Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Rheinfelden Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Rheinfelden

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $2,032 in Rheinfelden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $4,849 in Rheinfelden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $7,665 in Rheinfelden.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 92% more expensive than in Rheinfelden, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, Rheinfelden 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 25.18

$29.08 CHF 23.73

6.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 97.9

$121 CHF 98.9

-0.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.45

$18.22 CHF 14.87

3.95%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.07

$6.29 CHF 5.13

-1.27%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.30

$5.49 CHF 4.48

-4.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$4.80 CHF 3.92

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.72

$8.49 CHF 6.93

25.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.15

$6.64 CHF 5.42

50.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.32 CHF 1.89

-3.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.32

$3.96 CHF 3.23

2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$4.85 CHF 3.96

-31.55%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.82

$7.59 CHF 6.20

-6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.38

$26.40 CHF 21.54

-5.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.25

$28.17 CHF 22.99

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.65

$43.88 CHF 35.81

-8.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$4.42 CHF 3.61

-15.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$2.20 CHF 1.80

-1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$3.08 CHF 2.51

-14.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.88

$5.37 CHF 4.38

-11.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.48

$1.72 CHF 1.41

5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$1.96 CHF 1.60

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$2.33 CHF 1.90

-12.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.39

$1.20 CHF 0.98

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.90

$11.58 CHF 9.45

-5.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.42

$12.27 CHF 10.01

23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$3.16 CHF 2.58

-13.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.72

$4.16 CHF 3.40

-19.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$3.79 CHF 3.10

20.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.8

$124 CHF 101

-23.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.36

$5.53 CHF 4.51

41.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.85

$3.41 CHF 2.79

38.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$61.9 CHF 50.5

38.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.20 CHF 1.80

3.18%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$44.3K CHF 36.1K

-0.24%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$39.9K CHF 32.6K

0.25%

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

$295 CHF 240

$247 CHF 202

19.21%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.65

$48.92 CHF 39.92

-23.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.78

$64.4 CHF 52.6

-20.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 59.2

$110 CHF 90.2

-34.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 41.15

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.84

$23.70 CHF 19.34

2.57%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,463

$3,024 CHF 2,468

-0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.3K

$33.0K CHF 26.9K

12.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 118

$152 CHF 124

-4.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.8

$82.6 CHF 67.4

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$167 CHF 137

-13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 177

$201 CHF 164

8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,861

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,508

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,580

$2,243 CHF 1,831

95.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,672

$3,078 CHF 2,512

6.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,724

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.43

-19.75%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rheinfelden: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $120 in Lausanne vs $121 in Rheinfelden for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $620 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 Rheinfelden: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Rheinfelden differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $2,032 including rent). Rheinfelden 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 $3,048 in Rheinfelden 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Rheinfelden – a meal for two runs $121 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 $2,032 in Rheinfelden – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,032 in Rheinfelden versus $3,900 in Lausanne, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rheinfelden but tight or insufficient in Lausanne. The gap between the two cities makes Rheinfelden the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Rheinfelden 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 Rheinfelden gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.