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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,765 in Lausanne versus $3,661 in St. Moritz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,871 in Lausanne versus $6,635 in St. Moritz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,978 in Lausanne versus $9,609 in St. Moritz.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 175% above, St. Moritz 168% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 25.08

$36.06 CHF 29.77

-15.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.6

$145 CHF 120

-16.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.54

$14.76 CHF 12.19

27.57%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.95

$5.99 CHF 4.94

0.17%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$5.62 CHF 4.64

-10.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.53

$4.72 CHF 3.90

-9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.61

$9.93 CHF 8.20

5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.12

$6.27 CHF 5.17

56.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.87

$1.79 CHF 1.48

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.21

$3.82 CHF 3.15

1.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.78

$3.90 CHF 3.22

-13.59%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.82

$7.69 CHF 6.35

-8.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.85

$27.64 CHF 22.81

-8.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.46

$27.50 CHF 22.70

3.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$60.4 CHF 49.89

-34.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 3.00

$4.05 CHF 3.34

-10.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$2.83 CHF 2.33

-24.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.06

$3.44 CHF 2.84

-27.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.87

$4.84 CHF 4.00

-3.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.49

$2.55 CHF 2.10

-29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.62

$2.19 CHF 1.81

-10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$2.58 CHF 2.13

-20.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.41

$1.33 CHF 1.10

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 9.08

$11.14 CHF 9.19

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.46

$13.58 CHF 11.21

11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.27

$2.73 CHF 2.25

0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.64

$3.26 CHF 2.69

-1.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.74

$3.85 CHF 3.18

17.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.7

$95.7 CHF 79.0

-0.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.55

$8.16 CHF 6.73

-2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.89

$4.77 CHF 3.94

-1.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.8

$91.3 CHF 75.4

-6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.26 CHF 1.87

-0.44%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

$40.2K CHF 33.2K

8.32%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

$39.0K CHF 32.2K

0.94%

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

$301 CHF 248

$96.3 CHF 79.5

212.46%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.62

$38.62 CHF 31.87

-0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.63

$56.5 CHF 46.63

-10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.4

$74.1 CHF 61.2

-1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 40.01

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.93

$18.93 CHF 15.62

27.52%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,397

$3,711 CHF 3,063

-21.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

$43.8K CHF 36.1K

-13.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 121

$146 CHF 120

0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.3

$58.7 CHF 48.48

32.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 116

$169 CHF 140

-16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 183

$264 CHF 218

-16.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,875

$1,815 CHF 1,498

25.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,488

$1,793 CHF 1,480

0.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,551

$5,609 CHF 4,630

-23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,718

$4,794 CHF 3,957

-31.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

$12.2K CHF 10.1K

15.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,774

$4,904 CHF 4,048

42.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.8

8.33%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for St. Moritz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,271 in Lausanne and $1,815 in St. Moritz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 43% 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: $121 in Lausanne vs $145 in St. Moritz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $592 vs $665 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 St. Moritz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and St. Moritz differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,765 vs $3,661 including rent). St. Moritz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $2,271 in Lausanne versus $1,815 in St. Moritz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Moritz – a meal for two runs $145 versus $121 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,765 per month in Lausanne versus $3,661 in St. Moritz – 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. St. Moritz 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. Moritz 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. Moritz 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.