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: $3,595 in Lausanne versus $3,524 in Rheinfelden.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,762 in Lausanne versus $5,497 in Rheinfelden.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,930 in Lausanne versus $7,469 in Rheinfelden.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 2% more expensive than Rheinfelden, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 167% above, Rheinfelden 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.90 CHF 26.29

$27.45 CHF 21.94

19.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 118

$106 CHF 85.1

38.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.29 CHF 15.42

$17.45 CHF 13.95

10.54%

Cappuccino

$5.98 CHF 4.78

$5.65 CHF 4.52

5.84%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.26

$4.89 CHF 3.91

9.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 CHF 3.95

$4.64 CHF 3.71

6.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.60 CHF 7.67

$8.47 CHF 6.77

13.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 CHF 6.97

$6.22 CHF 4.97

40.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.75

$2.14 CHF 1.71

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 CHF 3.30

$3.35 CHF 2.68

23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.44

$4.28 CHF 3.42

0.47%

Eggs

$7.03 CHF 5.62

$6.95 CHF 5.55

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 21.01

$28.40 CHF 22.70

-7.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.86 CHF 23.07

$34.95 CHF 27.94

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.6 CHF 41.28

$41.12 CHF 32.87

25.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.89

$3.55 CHF 2.84

1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.68

$2.14 CHF 1.71

-1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.35

$2.73 CHF 2.18

8.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 CHF 5.33

$6.72 CHF 5.37

-0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.01

$2.25 CHF 1.80

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.94

$2.22 CHF 1.78

9.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.03

$2.51 CHF 2.01

1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CHF 1.18

$1.13 CHF 0.90

30.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 8.92

$11.15 CHF 8.91

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 CHF 12.97

$12.41 CHF 9.92

30.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CHF 1.69

$1.99 CHF 1.59

6.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.49

$2.36 CHF 1.88

31.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 CHF 3.93

$3.89 CHF 3.11

26.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 CHF 75.3

$100.0 CHF 79.9

-5.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.31

$8.23 CHF 6.57

-4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 CHF 2.62

$4.26 CHF 3.40

-23.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.0 CHF 53.5

$85.8 CHF 68.6

-21.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.80

$2.21 CHF 1.77

1.81%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.3K

$41.1K CHF 32.9K

-1.88%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.4K

$44.3K CHF 35.4K

-5.54%

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

$325 CHF 260

$305 CHF 244

6.50%

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

$50.8 CHF 40.61

$54.0 CHF 43.17

-5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 46.17

$58.5 CHF 46.75

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 62.8

$89.2 CHF 71.3

-11.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.52 CHF 37.98

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.23

$22.50 CHF 17.99

18.04%

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

$2,833 CHF 2,264

$3,042 CHF 2,432

-6.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 27.0K

$34.1K CHF 27.3K

-1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 86.1

$134 CHF 107

-19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 CHF 56.4

$67.7 CHF 54.1

4.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 118

$178 CHF 142

-16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 147

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 CHF 1,469

$1,680 CHF 1,343

9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,155

$1,475 CHF 1,179

-2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,615 CHF 2,889

$2,800 CHF 2,238

29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,906 CHF 2,322

$2,995 CHF 2,394

-2.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.8K CHF 15.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,240 CHF 5,787

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Rheinfelden: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,837 in Lausanne and $1,680 in Rheinfelden. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $147 in Lausanne vs $106 in Rheinfelden for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $652 vs $632 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

Lausanne and Rheinfelden differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,595 vs $3,524 including rent). Rheinfelden is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,392 in Lausanne and $5,287 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: $1,837 in Lausanne versus $1,680 in Rheinfelden. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rheinfelden – a meal for two runs $106 versus $147 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,595 per month in Lausanne versus $3,524 in Rheinfelden – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

Expats usually find Rheinfelden gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.