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: $3,604 in Lausanne versus $3,501 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Lausanne versus $5,253 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,772 in Lausanne versus $7,005 in Thun.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 3% more expensive than in Thun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Thun 163% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.78 CHF 26.46

$27.67 CHF 22.33

18.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 118

$125 CHF 101

16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.19

$17.19 CHF 13.87

9.54%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.92

$5.98 CHF 4.83

1.84%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.30

$4.91 CHF 3.96

8.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$4.69 CHF 3.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.74 CHF 7.86

$8.30 CHF 6.70

17.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.36 CHF 6.75

$7.80 CHF 6.30

7.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.27

$3.39 CHF 2.74

19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.65

$4.09 CHF 3.30

10.51%

Eggs

$7.02 CHF 5.66

$7.15 CHF 5.77

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.52

$26.63 CHF 21.49

0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.77 CHF 23.22

$28.89 CHF 23.31

-0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.7 CHF 42.55

$40.77 CHF 32.90

29.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$3.50 CHF 2.82

8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$2.08 CHF 1.68

0.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.27

$2.80 CHF 2.26

0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 CHF 5.20

$6.47 CHF 5.23

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.25 CHF 1.82

7.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$2.24 CHF 1.81

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.12

$1.15 CHF 0.93

20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.05

$10.87 CHF 8.77

3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 CHF 12.43

$12.07 CHF 9.74

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$1.91 CHF 1.54

6.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.65

$2.35 CHF 1.90

39.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 CHF 3.96

$3.84 CHF 3.10

27.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 CHF 76.6

$96.8 CHF 78.1

-2.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 CHF 6.26

$7.94 CHF 6.41

-2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.75

$3.25 CHF 2.62

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.8 CHF 53.9

$65.3 CHF 52.7

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-2.70%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

1.62%

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

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

$41.0K CHF 33.1K

1.02%

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

$321 CHF 259

$373 CHF 301

-13.85%

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

$51.0 CHF 41.17

$59.9 CHF 48.34

-14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 CHF 48.06

$58.3 CHF 47.01

2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 CHF 62.4

$89.5 CHF 72.2

-13.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.48 CHF 38.32

Cinema Ticket

$26.09 CHF 21.05

$24.23 CHF 19.56

7.68%

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

$2,837 CHF 2,289

$3,109 CHF 2,509

-8.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

1.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.5

$152 CHF 123

-29.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 CHF 57.1

$70.1 CHF 56.6

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$172 CHF 139

-13.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$188 CHF 151

-2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CHF 1,470

$1,705 CHF 1,376

6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,185

$1,475 CHF 1,190

-0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,656 CHF 2,950

$2,859 CHF 2,307

27.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,968 CHF 2,395

$2,420 CHF 1,953

22.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

$7,225 CHF 5,831

91.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,703 CHF 5,409

$5,956 CHF 4,807

12.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

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

Last update for Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Last update for Thun: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,822 in Lausanne and $1,705 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 13% 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: $146 in Lausanne vs $125 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $652 vs $595 per month, with Thun 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Thun differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,604 vs $3,501 including rent). Thun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $1,822 in Lausanne versus $1,705 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 $125 versus $146 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,604 per month in Lausanne versus $3,501 in Thun – a 3% 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 3% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.