Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Schwyz Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Schwyz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,565 in Lausanne versus $3,465 in Schwyz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,676 in Lausanne versus $5,335 in Schwyz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,788 in Lausanne versus $7,205 in Schwyz.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 3% more expensive than Schwyz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 166% above, Schwyz 159% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.89

$31.47 CHF 24.81

4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

$148 CHF 117

-2.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.77

$19.24 CHF 15.17

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.79

$6.94 CHF 5.47

-12.54%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$5.65 CHF 4.45

-1.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.71

$5.42 CHF 4.28

-13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.60

$7.58 CHF 5.97

27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.63

$7.57 CHF 5.97

11.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.27 CHF 1.79

-3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.29

$4.05 CHF 3.19

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.53

$3.69 CHF 2.91

21.41%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.52

$8.17 CHF 6.44

-14.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.67

$27.29 CHF 21.51

-3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.69

$32.66 CHF 25.75

-11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 40.97

$40.73 CHF 32.11

27.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$3.18 CHF 2.50

13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.14 CHF 1.69

2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.32

$2.58 CHF 2.03

14.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.07

$7.16 CHF 5.64

-10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$2.24 CHF 1.77

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.85

$2.27 CHF 1.79

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-4.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.09

$1.09 CHF 0.86

27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

$10.81 CHF 8.52

1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.70

$12.89 CHF 10.16

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.52

$2.30 CHF 1.81

39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.73

$3.98 CHF 3.14

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.0

$98.3 CHF 77.5

-0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.29

$6.73 CHF 5.31

18.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$4.35 CHF 3.43

-25.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.3

$81.5 CHF 64.2

-17.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.13 CHF 1.68

0.94%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

0.12%

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

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

$41.4K CHF 32.7K

0.66%

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

$322 CHF 254

$291 CHF 230

10.58%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.66

$59.2 CHF 46.65

-14.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.42

$52.7 CHF 41.55

9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 59.9

$88.9 CHF 70.1

-14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 20.94

$23.14 CHF 18.24

14.78%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,178

$2,824 CHF 2,226

-2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

$40.4K CHF 31.8K

-14.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 86.9

$109 CHF 85.7

1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.4

$53.7 CHF 42.36

30.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 117

$152 CHF 120

-2.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$184 CHF 145

0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,446

$1,677 CHF 1,322

9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,172

$1,462 CHF 1,153

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,777

$2,814 CHF 2,219

25.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,321

$2,497 CHF 1,968

17.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

$14.1K CHF 11.1K

39.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$9,272 CHF 7,310

55.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,969

$7,226 CHF 5,697

4.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

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

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Last update for Schwyz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,677 in Schwyz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 5% 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: $145 in Lausanne vs $148 in Schwyz. Groceries flip the comparison at $651 vs $629, with Schwyz cheaper for home cooking.

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 Schwyz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Schwyz differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $3,465 including rent). Schwyz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lausanne pays 5% more on average, 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: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,677 in Schwyz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Schwyz – a meal for two runs $148 versus $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,565 per month in Lausanne versus $3,465 in Schwyz – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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