Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Solothurn Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Solothurn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $2,801 in Solothurn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $4,577 in Solothurn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $6,353 in Solothurn.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 39% more expensive than in Solothurn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, Solothurn 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 25.18

$30.41 CHF 24.82

1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 97.9

$149 CHF 122

-19.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.45

$18.46 CHF 15.06

2.60%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.07

$6.68 CHF 5.45

-7.04%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.30

$5.63 CHF 4.60

-6.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$5.36 CHF 4.37

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.72

$6.92 CHF 5.65

54.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.15

$6.23 CHF 5.08

60.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.23 CHF 1.82

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.32

$3.82 CHF 3.12

6.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$3.53 CHF 2.88

-5.95%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.82

$8.83 CHF 7.20

-19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.38

$22.83 CHF 18.63

9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.25

$26.51 CHF 21.64

7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.65

$61.7 CHF 50.3

-35.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$2.96 CHF 2.41

26.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$1.45 CHF 1.18

49.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$3.52 CHF 2.87

-25.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.88

$4.22 CHF 3.45

12.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.48

$1.67 CHF 1.36

8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$1.78 CHF 1.45

11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$1.63 CHF 1.33

25.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.39

$1.00 CHF 0.81

71.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.90

$11.32 CHF 9.24

-3.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.42

$13.32 CHF 10.87

14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$2.89 CHF 2.36

-5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.72

$3.27 CHF 2.67

1.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$4.85 CHF 3.96

-6.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.36

$8.46 CHF 6.91

-7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.85

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-0.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$92.5 CHF 75.5

-7.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.36 CHF 1.93

-3.81%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$31.4K CHF 25.6K

40.64%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$36.2K CHF 29.5K

10.64%

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

$295 CHF 240

$98.0 CHF 80.0

200.48%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.65

$30.80 CHF 25.13

21.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.78

$58.5 CHF 47.73

-12.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 59.2

$91.9 CHF 75.0

-21.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 41.15

$17.25 CHF 14.08

192.29%

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.84

$18.52 CHF 15.11

31.26%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,463

$3,692 CHF 3,013

-18.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.3K

$19.4K CHF 15.9K

91.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 118

$143 CHF 117

1.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.8

$43.91 CHF 35.84

77.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$171 CHF 139

-15.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 177

$258 CHF 210

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,861

$1,201 CHF 980

89.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,508

$1,072 CHF 875

72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,580

$1,861 CHF 1,519

135.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,672

$1,815 CHF 1,482

80.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

$9,687 CHF 7,906

93.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

$5,010 CHF 4,089

188.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,724

$6,908 CHF 5,637

1.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.07

-5.80%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Lausanne and $1,201 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 2% 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: $120 in Lausanne vs $149 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $629 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 Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Solothurn differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $2,801 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Lausanne, 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: $2,280 in Lausanne versus $1,201 in Solothurn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lausanne pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,900 per month in Lausanne versus $2,801 in Solothurn – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Solothurn 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 Solothurn 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 Solothurn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.