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: $3,490 in Montreux versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,372 in Montreux versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,254 in Montreux versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Montreux costs roughly 9% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 154% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.64 CHF 25.72

$31.49 CHF 25.61

0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 CHF 113

$119 CHF 96.7

16.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.45 CHF 15.00

$19.27 CHF 15.67

-4.26%

Cappuccino

$6.08 CHF 4.95

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-3.80%

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

$5.21 CHF 4.24

$5.28 CHF 4.30

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$4.09 CHF 3.32

3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.10 CHF 8.21

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.13 CHF 8.23

$9.93 CHF 8.07

2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CHF 2.46

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.65

$3.28 CHF 2.66

-0.61%

Eggs

$7.08 CHF 5.75

$7.55 CHF 6.14

-6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.31 CHF 20.58

$24.73 CHF 20.10

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.79 CHF 23.40

$28.61 CHF 23.26

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.42 CHF 32.86

$40.20 CHF 32.68

0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CHF 3.04

$3.68 CHF 2.99

1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.43

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-16.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.17

$2.53 CHF 2.06

5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 CHF 3.85

$4.55 CHF 3.70

3.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.52

$1.82 CHF 1.48

2.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$1.98 CHF 1.61

1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CHF 1.74

$2.03 CHF 1.65

5.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CHF 1.50

$1.80 CHF 1.46

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 9.26

$11.19 CHF 9.10

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CHF 10.16

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CHF 2.32

$2.69 CHF 2.19

6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.72

$3.22 CHF 2.62

3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 CHF 3.51

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-5.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CHF 84.6

$97.5 CHF 79.2

6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 CHF 6.45

$7.82 CHF 6.36

1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 CHF 3.33

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-13.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.7 CHF 52.6

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-26.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-2.54%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-11.10%

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

$41.0K CHF 33.3K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

2.33%

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

$292 CHF 238

$305 CHF 248

-4.07%

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

$37.14 CHF 30.19

$38.30 CHF 31.14

-3.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CHF 41.85

$51.6 CHF 41.91

-0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.2 CHF 75.8

$74.1 CHF 60.3

25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.83 CHF 38.89

$50.8 CHF 41.27

-5.77%

Cinema Ticket

$24.60 CHF 20.00

$24.97 CHF 20.30

-1.48%

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

$2,425 CHF 1,972

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-20.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K CHF 30.0K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-3.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 112

$144 CHF 117

-4.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.0 CHF 64.3

$77.9 CHF 63.4

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$172 CHF 140

$141 CHF 114

22.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$195 CHF 158

$224 CHF 182

-13.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CHF 1,500

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 CHF 1,227

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,890 CHF 2,350

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-35.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 CHF 2,035

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-24.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.3K

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-11.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-13.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,329 CHF 6,771

$6,938 CHF 5,640

20.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

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

Last update for Montreux: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Montreux and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $139 in Montreux vs $119 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $585 vs $598, with Montreux 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

Montreux vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreux and Lausanne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($3,490 vs $3,824 including rent). Montreux is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $1,845 in Montreux versus $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montreux – a meal for two runs $139 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,490 per month in Montreux versus $3,824 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 $2,500. Montreux 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 Montreux gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.