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: $3,565 in Lausanne versus $2,824 in Solothurn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,676 in Lausanne versus $4,426 in Solothurn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,788 in Lausanne versus $6,029 in Solothurn.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 26% more expensive than Solothurn, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 166% above, Solothurn 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.84 CHF 25.98

$30.88 CHF 24.43

6.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$143 CHF 113

1.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.73 CHF 14.82

$20.70 CHF 16.37

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$6.07 CHF 4.80

$6.63 CHF 5.24

-8.45%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.43

$5.61 CHF 4.44

-0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CHF 3.72

$5.13 CHF 4.06

-8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.64 CHF 7.62

$6.64 CHF 5.26

45.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 CHF 6.65

$6.24 CHF 4.94

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 CHF 3.30

$3.43 CHF 2.71

21.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.55

$3.39 CHF 2.68

32.15%

Eggs

$7.01 CHF 5.54

$7.47 CHF 5.91

-6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.22 CHF 20.74

$29.54 CHF 23.37

-11.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.78 CHF 22.76

$30.76 CHF 24.33

-6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 41.11

$38.99 CHF 30.85

33.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$4.22 CHF 3.34

-14.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.90 CHF 2.29

-24.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.33

$3.12 CHF 2.47

-5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.09

$4.34 CHF 3.44

48.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$1.93 CHF 1.53

30.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.02 CHF 1.60

16.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.50 CHF 1.98

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.10

$1.06 CHF 0.84

31.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.65

$11.30 CHF 8.94

-3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.11 CHF 12.75

$10.27 CHF 8.12

56.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.65 CHF 2.10

-24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.53

$2.43 CHF 1.92

31.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.74 CHF 3.75

$3.60 CHF 2.85

31.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 CHF 77.2

$98.1 CHF 77.6

-0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 CHF 6.31

$7.67 CHF 6.07

4.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.58

$4.19 CHF 3.31

-22.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.6 CHF 53.4

$73.1 CHF 57.8

-7.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.30 CHF 1.82

-6.52%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.5K

$38.3K CHF 30.3K

7.36%

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

$41.7K CHF 33.0K

$37.8K CHF 29.9K

10.37%

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

$322 CHF 255

$100 CHF 79.1

221.96%

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

$50.3 CHF 39.79

$30.95 CHF 24.49

62.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 45.57

$57.8 CHF 45.69

-0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 CHF 60.1

$74.0 CHF 58.5

2.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.74

$24.25 CHF 19.18

96.74%

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.01

$24.39 CHF 19.30

8.90%

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

$2,763 CHF 2,186

$3,424 CHF 2,709

-19.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.2K

$19.8K CHF 15.6K

73.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.2

$140 CHF 111

-21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.6

$42.53 CHF 33.65

65.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$99.3 CHF 78.5

49.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$188 CHF 149

-1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,451

$1,265 CHF 1,001

44.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 CHF 1,176

$1,065 CHF 843

39.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,523 CHF 2,787

$1,854 CHF 1,467

90.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,944 CHF 2,329

$1,755 CHF 1,389

67.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.5K

$10.3K CHF 8,116

90.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

$5,092 CHF 4,028

183.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,989

$7,149 CHF 5,655

5.90%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,265 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 6% 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 $143 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $651 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 26% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $2,824 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lausanne pays 6% 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 $1,265 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 $143 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 $2,824 in Solothurn – a 26% 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 26% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.