Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,993 in Montreux versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,756 in Montreux versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,519 in Montreux versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Montreux is roughly 10% more expensive than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 199% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.86 CHF 24.95

$32.44 CHF 26.23

-4.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$148 CHF 119

0.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 15.17

$19.05 CHF 15.40

-1.52%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.92

$5.90 CHF 4.77

3.22%

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

$5.51 CHF 4.45

$5.41 CHF 4.38

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.97

$4.92 CHF 3.97

-0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.00 CHF 8.08

$10.12 CHF 8.18

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 CHF 6.86

$8.85 CHF 7.16

-4.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.82

$2.24 CHF 1.81

0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 CHF 3.12

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-5.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 CHF 3.55

$4.37 CHF 3.53

0.46%

Eggs

$7.29 CHF 5.90

$7.37 CHF 5.96

-1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.22 CHF 22.81

$26.35 CHF 21.31

7.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.54 CHF 23.07

$28.58 CHF 23.11

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.93 CHF 35.52

$53.2 CHF 42.99

-17.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.25

$3.80 CHF 3.07

5.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$2.15 CHF 1.74

0.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.89 CHF 2.34

0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.64 CHF 5.37

$6.62 CHF 5.35

0.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CHF 2.55

$2.43 CHF 1.97

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.53 CHF 2.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.27

$1.40 CHF 1.14

12.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.94

$11.03 CHF 8.92

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 CHF 11.11

$15.39 CHF 12.44

-10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CHF 1.65

$2.10 CHF 1.69

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.52

$3.27 CHF 2.64

-4.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 CHF 3.36

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-14.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 CHF 73.8

$96.1 CHF 77.7

-4.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.44

$7.67 CHF 6.20

3.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 CHF 3.34

$3.42 CHF 2.77

20.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.8 CHF 54.0

$66.1 CHF 53.5

0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.18 CHF 1.76

2.75%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

2.09%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.2K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

1.04%

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

$298 CHF 241

$331 CHF 267

-9.97%

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

$50.9 CHF 41.14

$50.0 CHF 40.44

1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.64

$57.7 CHF 46.68

-0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 65.1

$78.4 CHF 63.4

2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.31 CHF 30.16

$48.46 CHF 39.18

-23.01%

Cinema Ticket

$22.78 CHF 18.42

$26.35 CHF 21.31

-13.55%

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

$2,625 CHF 2,122

$2,843 CHF 2,298

-7.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.9K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

-0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$110 CHF 89.0

0.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.7 CHF 57.2

$69.2 CHF 55.9

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 CHF 143

$153 CHF 124

15.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 148

$184 CHF 149

-0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 CHF 1,764

$1,834 CHF 1,483

18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CHF 1,616

$1,476 CHF 1,193

35.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,322 CHF 2,686

$3,654 CHF 2,954

-9.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,802 CHF 2,265

$2,979 CHF 2,408

-5.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-13.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,901

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-13.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,997 CHF 6,466

$6,512 CHF 5,265

22.81%

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 Montreux: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,182 in Montreux and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 23% 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: $148 in Montreux vs $148 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $632 vs $655 per month, with Montreux 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

Montreux vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreux and Lausanne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($3,993 vs $3,619 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Montreux, 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: $2,182 in Montreux versus $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lausanne – a meal for two runs $148 versus $148 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,993 per month in Montreux versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lausanne 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, Montreux and Lausanne 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 Lausanne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.