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: $4,058 in Montreux versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,760 in Montreux versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,462 in Montreux versus $7,788 in Lausanne.

Living in Montreux is roughly 14% more expensive than Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 203% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 CHF 23.85

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-7.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$145 CHF 114

2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.89 CHF 14.90

$18.73 CHF 14.77

0.85%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.74

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-0.82%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CHF 3.74

$4.70 CHF 3.71

1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.58

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.67 CHF 6.84

$8.41 CHF 6.63

3.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.19 CHF 1.73

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 CHF 3.00

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-8.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CHF 3.48

$4.48 CHF 3.53

-1.56%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.55

$7.01 CHF 5.52

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.06 CHF 22.91

$26.22 CHF 20.67

10.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.44 CHF 22.42

$28.78 CHF 22.69

-1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.85 CHF 34.57

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-15.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CHF 3.16

$3.60 CHF 2.84

11.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.28

$2.95 CHF 2.32

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.05

$6.43 CHF 5.07

-0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$2.51 CHF 1.98

26.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$2.35 CHF 1.85

3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.49 CHF 1.96

1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.24

$1.39 CHF 1.09

12.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.59

$10.93 CHF 8.62

-0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 CHF 11.17

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-12.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.60

$2.01 CHF 1.59

1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.39

$3.20 CHF 2.52

-5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-14.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 CHF 70.6

$97.6 CHF 77.0

-8.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 CHF 6.37

$7.98 CHF 6.29

1.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$3.26 CHF 2.57

26.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.7 CHF 52.6

$67.6 CHF 53.3

-1.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.15 CHF 1.70

5.12%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-3.05%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

0.60%

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

$308 CHF 243

$322 CHF 254

-4.30%

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

$50.1 CHF 39.46

$50.3 CHF 39.66

-0.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.81

$57.6 CHF 45.42

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 63.4

$76.0 CHF 59.9

5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.99 CHF 29.16

$47.71 CHF 37.61

-22.47%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 CHF 17.81

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-14.98%

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

$2,617 CHF 2,064

$2,763 CHF 2,178

-5.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

-1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 86.0

$110 CHF 86.9

-1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.1

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 139

$149 CHF 117

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$185 CHF 146

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 CHF 1,717

$1,834 CHF 1,446

18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CHF 1,582

$1,486 CHF 1,172

35.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,327 CHF 2,623

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 CHF 2,167

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-6.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-14.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,808 CHF 6,944

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-39.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,425 CHF 6,642

$7,571 CHF 5,969

11.29%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,177 in Montreux and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays 11% 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: $149 in Montreux vs $145 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $632 vs $651, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($4,058 vs $3,565 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Montreux pays 11% more on average, 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: $2,177 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 $145 versus $149 in Montreux. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,058 per month in Montreux versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 14% 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 14% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.