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: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $2,830 in Solothurn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $4,520 in Solothurn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $6,211 in Solothurn.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 28% more expensive than in Solothurn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Solothurn 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.28

$31.23 CHF 25.30

3.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$144 CHF 116

2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.43

$21.30 CHF 17.25

-10.56%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.78

$6.53 CHF 5.29

-9.65%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$5.64 CHF 4.57

-4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$5.39 CHF 4.37

-8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.19

$6.88 CHF 5.57

47.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.17

$6.34 CHF 5.14

39.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.22 CHF 1.80

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.26 CHF 2.64

25.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.54

$3.26 CHF 2.64

34.05%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.97

$7.20 CHF 5.84

2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$30.06 CHF 24.35

-12.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.15

$31.44 CHF 25.47

-9.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 43.07

$39.66 CHF 32.12

34.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.08

$4.16 CHF 3.37

-8.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.89 CHF 2.34

-25.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.99 CHF 2.42

-3.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$4.21 CHF 3.41

57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$1.93 CHF 1.56

25.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.01 CHF 1.63

19.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.54 CHF 2.06

-0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.06 CHF 0.86

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.94

$11.01 CHF 8.92

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.47

$9.73 CHF 7.88

58.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$2.40 CHF 1.94

36.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.91

$3.66 CHF 2.97

31.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.8

$97.0 CHF 78.6

-1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$7.59 CHF 6.15

1.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$4.18 CHF 3.39

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.6

$75.1 CHF 60.8

-11.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-6.44%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

$37.2K CHF 30.2K

6.39%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$38.8K CHF 31.5K

4.65%

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

$331 CHF 268

$96.9 CHF 78.5

241.28%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.52

$30.30 CHF 24.54

65.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.77

$59.1 CHF 47.86

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.5

$73.0 CHF 59.2

7.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.25

$24.77 CHF 20.06

95.64%

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$25.00 CHF 20.25

5.40%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,303

$3,422 CHF 2,772

-16.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$19.5K CHF 15.8K

77.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$140 CHF 113

-21.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 56.0

$43.89 CHF 35.55

57.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$99.3 CHF 80.4

54.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$187 CHF 151

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,486

$1,278 CHF 1,035

43.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,195

$1,083 CHF 877

36.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,960

$1,859 CHF 1,506

96.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,413

$1,753 CHF 1,420

69.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$9,830 CHF 7,962

89.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$4,937 CHF 3,999

188.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,275

$6,802 CHF 5,510

-4.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.09

19.62%

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

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,278 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solothurn pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in Lausanne vs $144 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $655 vs $604 per month, with Solothurn 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 28% in total monthly costs ($3,619 vs $2,830 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Solothurn. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,278 in Solothurn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Solothurn – a meal for two runs $144 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,619 per month in Lausanne versus $2,830 in Solothurn – a 28% 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 28% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.