Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,765 in Lausanne versus $3,480 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,871 in Lausanne versus $5,357 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,978 in Lausanne versus $7,235 in Thun.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 8% more expensive than in Thun, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 175% above, Thun 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 25.08

$29.49 CHF 24.34

3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.6

$124 CHF 103

-3.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.54

$16.37 CHF 13.51

15.03%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.95

$6.62 CHF 5.47

-9.37%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$6.47 CHF 5.34

-22.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.53

$6.34 CHF 5.23

-32.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.61

$8.90 CHF 7.34

17.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.12

$8.08 CHF 6.67

21.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.87

$2.24 CHF 1.85

0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.21

$2.95 CHF 2.44

31.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.78

$3.20 CHF 2.64

5.31%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.82

$8.00 CHF 6.60

-11.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.85

$25.14 CHF 20.75

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.46

$28.21 CHF 23.28

0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$39.13 CHF 32.30

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 3.00

$3.67 CHF 3.03

-0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$2.12 CHF 1.75

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.06

$2.70 CHF 2.23

-7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.87

$4.70 CHF 3.88

-0.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.49

$1.71 CHF 1.42

5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.62

$2.02 CHF 1.66

-2.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$2.29 CHF 1.89

-10.92%

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

$11.73 CHF 9.68

-6.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.46

$12.50 CHF 10.32

20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.27

$2.29 CHF 1.89

20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.64

$3.10 CHF 2.56

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.74

$4.60 CHF 3.80

-1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.7

$103 CHF 85.0

-7.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.55

$7.99 CHF 6.60

-0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.89

$4.79 CHF 3.95

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.8

$85.5 CHF 70.6

0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-5.46%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

$44.7K CHF 36.9K

-2.68%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

$39.4K CHF 32.6K

-0.10%

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

$301 CHF 248

$301 CHF 249

-0.19%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.62

$54.0 CHF 44.56

-29.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.63

$64.0 CHF 52.9

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.4

$90.9 CHF 75.0

-19.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 40.01

$46.71 CHF 38.55

3.77%

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.93

$23.30 CHF 19.23

3.61%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,397

$3,038 CHF 2,507

-4.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

$31.1K CHF 25.7K

21.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 121

$151 CHF 124

-2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.3

$80.9 CHF 66.8

-3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 116

$167 CHF 138

-15.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 183

$202 CHF 167

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,875

$1,732 CHF 1,429

31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,488

$1,487 CHF 1,227

21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,551

$2,908 CHF 2,400

47.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,718

$2,474 CHF 2,042

33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

10.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

12.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,774

$5,992 CHF 4,946

16.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.43

-19.75%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for Thun: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,271 in Lausanne and $1,732 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 17% 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 $124 in Thun. Groceries flip the comparison at $592 vs $573, with Thun 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Thun differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($3,765 vs $3,480 including rent). Thun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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 $1,732 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thun – a meal for two runs $124 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 $3,480 in Thun – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Thun 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 Thun 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 Thun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.