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: $3,563 in Lausanne versus $3,547 in Rheinfelden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,620 in Lausanne versus $5,548 in Rheinfelden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,677 in Lausanne versus $7,550 in Rheinfelden.

Monthly costs are close between Lausanne and Rheinfelden; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 167% above, Rheinfelden 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.01 CHF 26.99

$27.76 CHF 22.70

18.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$109 CHF 89.5

35.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.84 CHF 15.41

$17.18 CHF 14.05

9.66%

Cappuccino

$5.85 CHF 4.79

$5.81 CHF 4.75

0.69%

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

$5.35 CHF 4.38

$4.75 CHF 3.88

12.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CHF 3.93

$4.60 CHF 3.76

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.88

$8.54 CHF 6.98

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.51 CHF 6.96

$6.32 CHF 5.17

34.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.24 CHF 1.84

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 CHF 3.44

$3.28 CHF 2.68

28.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$4.16 CHF 3.40

3.85%

Eggs

$7.24 CHF 5.92

$7.14 CHF 5.84

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.30 CHF 21.50

$28.54 CHF 23.33

-7.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.79 CHF 23.54

$35.59 CHF 29.10

-19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.5 CHF 43.74

$40.87 CHF 33.42

30.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.05

$3.47 CHF 2.84

7.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.78

$2.15 CHF 1.76

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.38

$2.89 CHF 2.36

0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.41

$7.08 CHF 5.79

-6.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 2.00

$2.15 CHF 1.76

13.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.97

$2.16 CHF 1.77

11.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.14

$2.53 CHF 2.07

3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.09 CHF 0.89

28.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 CHF 8.95

$11.35 CHF 9.28

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 CHF 12.96

$12.92 CHF 10.57

22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 CHF 1.67

$1.96 CHF 1.60

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.62

$2.36 CHF 1.93

35.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.86 CHF 3.97

$3.97 CHF 3.25

22.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.5 CHF 78.1

$97.8 CHF 80.0

-2.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.39

$7.89 CHF 6.46

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 CHF 2.77

$4.20 CHF 3.43

-19.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 53.6

$84.9 CHF 69.4

-22.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.75

$2.22 CHF 1.82

-4.05%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.6K

0.03%

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

$41.8K CHF 34.2K

$45.4K CHF 37.2K

-8.07%

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

$327 CHF 267

$304 CHF 248

7.70%

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

$50.2 CHF 41.06

$53.8 CHF 44.02

-6.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CHF 47.66

$58.6 CHF 47.94

-0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 CHF 63.8

$88.1 CHF 72.0

-11.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.32 CHF 39.51

Cinema Ticket

$26.86 CHF 21.97

$22.40 CHF 18.31

19.91%

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

$2,764 CHF 2,260

$3,061 CHF 2,503

-9.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.3K

$33.8K CHF 27.7K

2.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 87.7

$136 CHF 111

-21.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.7 CHF 56.2

$68.8 CHF 56.3

-0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 123

$174 CHF 142

-13.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 152

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 CHF 1,539

$1,724 CHF 1,410

9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CHF 1,178

$1,450 CHF 1,186

-0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 CHF 2,975

$2,880 CHF 2,355

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,977 CHF 2,435

$3,088 CHF 2,525

-3.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,398 CHF 5,232

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.52

-0.79%

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

Last update for Lausanne: July 19, 2026

Last update for Rheinfelden: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Lausanne and $1,724 in Rheinfelden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $148 in Lausanne vs $109 in Rheinfelden for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $657 vs $638 per month, with Rheinfelden 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

You'd need roughly $5,345 in Lausanne and $5,320 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,882 in Lausanne versus $1,724 in Rheinfelden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rheinfelden runs roughly 2% less than in Lausanne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Lausanne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Rheinfelden 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 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.

It comes down to priorities – Rheinfelden wins on affordability, Lausanne on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.