Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Wil Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Wil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $3,078 in Wil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $4,648 in Wil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $6,217 in Wil.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 27% more expensive than in Wil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, Wil 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 25.21

$29.98 CHF 24.50

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 98.0

$147 CHF 120

-18.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.48

$24.52 CHF 20.04

-22.76%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.08

$6.10 CHF 4.99

1.80%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.30

$6.17 CHF 5.04

-14.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$5.35 CHF 4.38

-19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.73

$9.24 CHF 7.55

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.16

$6.60 CHF 5.39

51.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.83

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.32

$4.11 CHF 3.35

-0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$3.90 CHF 3.19

-14.87%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.83

$8.10 CHF 6.62

-11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.41

$27.43 CHF 22.42

-8.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.28

$29.55 CHF 24.15

-3.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.69

$42.76 CHF 34.94

-6.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.05

$3.80 CHF 3.11

-1.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$2.09 CHF 1.71

3.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$2.49 CHF 2.03

5.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.89

$5.46 CHF 4.46

-12.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.48

$2.06 CHF 1.69

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$2.15 CHF 1.76

-7.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$2.37 CHF 1.94

-13.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.40

$1.26 CHF 1.03

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.91

$10.91 CHF 8.92

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.43

$18.44 CHF 15.07

-17.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.24

$2.21 CHF 1.80

23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.72

$2.28 CHF 1.86

46.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$3.93 CHF 3.21

15.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.9

$92.6 CHF 75.7

2.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.37

$6.73 CHF 5.50

15.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.85

$4.86 CHF 3.98

-3.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.0

$78.9 CHF 64.5

8.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$2.27 CHF 1.85

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$35.1K CHF 28.7K

25.97%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-1.89%

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

$295 CHF 241

$237 CHF 194

24.33%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.70

$38.59 CHF 31.54

-2.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.84

$54.3 CHF 44.39

-5.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 59.2

$84.2 CHF 68.8

-13.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 41.20

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.87

$27.89 CHF 22.79

-12.84%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,467

$2,347 CHF 1,918

28.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.4K

$33.5K CHF 27.4K

11.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 119

$150 CHF 123

-3.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.8

$68.7 CHF 56.1

13.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$147 CHF 120

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 178

$275 CHF 225

-21.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,863

$1,505 CHF 1,230

51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,510

$1,134 CHF 926

63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,585

$2,139 CHF 1,748

105.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,676

$1,503 CHF 1,228

117.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,732

$4,454 CHF 3,640

57.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.9

2.63%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Wil: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Lausanne and $1,505 in Wil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 57% 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 $147 in Wil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $626 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 Wil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Wil differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $3,078 including rent). Wil is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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 $1,505 in Wil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Wil – a meal for two runs $147 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 $3,078 in Wil – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Wil 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 Wil 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 Wil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.