Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $3,743 in St. Gallen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $5,379 in St. Gallen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $7,016 in St. Gallen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 4% more expensive than in St. Gallen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, St. Gallen 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 24.99

$29.37 CHF 23.79

5.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 97.2

$150 CHF 122

-20.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.34

$18.38 CHF 14.89

3.05%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.03

$6.27 CHF 5.08

-0.96%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.26

$6.07 CHF 4.92

-13.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.50

$5.27 CHF 4.27

-18.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.65

$9.17 CHF 7.43

16.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.09

$6.51 CHF 5.27

53.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$2.24 CHF 1.81

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.29

$3.18 CHF 2.58

27.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.69

$3.92 CHF 3.17

-15.31%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.78

$7.80 CHF 6.32

-8.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.22

$26.19 CHF 21.21

-4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.07

$29.72 CHF 24.07

-4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.40

$39.85 CHF 32.28

0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$3.17 CHF 2.57

17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$1.65 CHF 1.34

31.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.12

$2.48 CHF 2.01

5.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.85

$6.25 CHF 5.06

-23.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.47

$1.69 CHF 1.37

7.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.61

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.66

$2.30 CHF 1.86

-10.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.38

$1.22 CHF 0.99

40.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.83

$10.97 CHF 8.89

-0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.32

$11.52 CHF 9.33

32.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$2.20 CHF 1.78

24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.70

$2.42 CHF 1.96

37.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.69

$4.38 CHF 3.54

3.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.2

$129 CHF 104

-25.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.31

$6.85 CHF 5.55

13.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.82

$4.88 CHF 3.95

-3.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 69.4

$79.3 CHF 64.2

8.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.84

$2.23 CHF 1.81

1.79%

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

$44.2K CHF 35.8K

$36.2K CHF 29.3K

22.13%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

0.78%

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

$295 CHF 239

$314 CHF 254

-6.09%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.42

$38.80 CHF 31.42

-3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.46

$55.7 CHF 45.07

-8.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 58.7

$82.0 CHF 66.4

-11.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 40.83

$97.4 CHF 78.9

-48.24%

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.69

$30.46 CHF 24.67

-20.19%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,445

$2,327 CHF 1,885

29.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.1K

$32.4K CHF 26.2K

14.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 118

$149 CHF 121

-2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.3

$66.6 CHF 54.0

17.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 117

$151 CHF 122

-4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 176

$185 CHF 150

17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,847

$1,838 CHF 1,489

24.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,497

$1,747 CHF 1,415

5.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,553

$2,878 CHF 2,331

52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,652

$2,221 CHF 1,799

47.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

$12.3K CHF 9,975

52.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.7K

$9,335 CHF 7,560

54.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,681

$6,935 CHF 5,616

1.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.1

-7.14%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Lausanne and $1,838 in St. Gallen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 1% 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 $150 in St. Gallen. Groceries flip the comparison at $597 vs $587, with St. Gallen 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 St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and St. Gallen differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $3,743 including rent). St. Gallen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% 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 $1,838 in St. Gallen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Gallen – a meal for two runs $150 versus $120 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,900 per month in Lausanne versus $3,743 in St. Gallen – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. St. Gallen 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 St. Gallen 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 St. Gallen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.