Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,169 in Olten versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,940 in Olten versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,712 in Olten versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Olten costs roughly 17% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olten 131% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.18 CHF 27.65

$31.49 CHF 25.48

8.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 99.9

$119 CHF 96.2

3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.95 CHF 14.52

$19.27 CHF 15.59

-6.85%

Cappuccino

$6.59 CHF 5.33

$6.32 CHF 5.12

4.27%

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

$5.56 CHF 4.50

$5.28 CHF 4.28

5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$4.09 CHF 3.31

34.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 CHF 7.56

$10.47 CHF 8.47

-10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CHF 6.12

$9.93 CHF 8.03

-23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$2.28 CHF 1.85

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.22

$3.97 CHF 3.21

0.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CHF 3.15

$3.28 CHF 2.65

18.60%

Eggs

$8.76 CHF 7.09

$7.55 CHF 6.11

16.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.96 CHF 21.00

$24.73 CHF 20.00

4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.37 CHF 22.14

$28.61 CHF 23.15

-4.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.48 CHF 38.42

$40.20 CHF 32.52

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$3.68 CHF 2.98

15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.29

$2.10 CHF 1.70

34.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.48

$2.53 CHF 2.05

21.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CHF 3.93

$4.55 CHF 3.68

6.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.17

$1.82 CHF 1.47

47.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.98 CHF 1.60

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$2.03 CHF 1.64

22.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 CHF 1.05

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.95

$11.19 CHF 9.05

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.12

$15.68 CHF 12.69

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$2.69 CHF 2.18

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.55

$3.22 CHF 2.61

-1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.41 CHF 4.37

$4.55 CHF 3.68

18.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 88.6

$97.5 CHF 78.8

12.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 CHF 6.67

$7.82 CHF 6.33

5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.80 CHF 3.88

$4.74 CHF 3.83

1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.3 CHF 73.0

$88.4 CHF 71.5

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.85

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-3.39%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$44.6K CHF 36.1K

-9.01%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.3K

$40.1K CHF 32.4K

-0.48%

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

$287 CHF 233

$305 CHF 247

-5.70%

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

$34.09 CHF 27.58

$38.30 CHF 30.99

-10.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.15 CHF 39.76

$51.6 CHF 41.70

-4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.9 CHF 67.1

$74.1 CHF 60.0

11.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.07

Cinema Ticket

$21.24 CHF 17.18

$24.97 CHF 20.20

-14.94%

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

$3,643 CHF 2,947

$3,045 CHF 2,463

19.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.6K

$38.2K CHF 30.9K

12.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 115

$144 CHF 116

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 CHF 48.88

$77.9 CHF 63.0

-22.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 CHF 136

$141 CHF 114

19.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$219 CHF 178

$224 CHF 181

-2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 CHF 1,020

$2,339 CHF 1,892

-46.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 CHF 856

$1,827 CHF 1,478

-42.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 CHF 1,605

$4,456 CHF 3,605

-55.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 CHF 1,581

$3,317 CHF 2,683

-41.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,404 CHF 3,563

$6,938 CHF 5,613

-36.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.95

6.15%

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

Last update for Olten: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,260 in Olten and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 58% 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: $123 in Olten vs $119 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $631 vs $598 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

Olten vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olten and Lausanne differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($3,169 vs $3,824 including rent). Olten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Lausanne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,260 in Olten 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 Olten – a meal for two runs $123 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,169 per month in Olten versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Olten 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, Olten 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 Olten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.