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: $2,941 in Olten versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,458 in Olten versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,975 in Olten versus $7,788 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 119% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.87 CHF 24.36

$32.84 CHF 25.92

-6.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 CHF 82.9

$145 CHF 115

-27.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.57 CHF 13.86

$18.73 CHF 14.78

-6.19%

Cappuccino

$5.47 CHF 4.31

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-9.88%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.22

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-4.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 CHF 3.65

$4.70 CHF 3.71

-1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.43

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 4.97

$8.41 CHF 6.64

-25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.68

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$4.48 CHF 3.54

-8.04%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.95

$7.01 CHF 5.53

7.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 CHF 17.07

$26.22 CHF 20.69

-17.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 20.43

$28.78 CHF 22.71

-10.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.22 CHF 31.74

$52.0 CHF 41.01

-22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.19

$3.60 CHF 2.84

12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$2.19 CHF 1.73

9.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.35

$2.95 CHF 2.33

0.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 CHF 3.99

$6.43 CHF 5.08

-21.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.17

$2.51 CHF 1.98

9.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$2.35 CHF 1.86

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$2.49 CHF 1.96

-1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$1.39 CHF 1.10

9.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 CHF 8.64

$10.93 CHF 8.63

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 CHF 12.17

$16.11 CHF 12.72

-4.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.01 CHF 1.59

6.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.91

$3.20 CHF 2.53

-24.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.10

$4.74 CHF 3.74

-17.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.0

$97.6 CHF 77.0

2.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.94

$7.98 CHF 6.30

-5.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.27

$3.26 CHF 2.57

26.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 48.53

$67.6 CHF 53.3

-8.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$2.15 CHF 1.70

6.05%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.1K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-1.02%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-5.73%

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

$260 CHF 205

$322 CHF 254

-19.22%

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

$33.65 CHF 26.56

$50.3 CHF 39.70

-33.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.54

$57.6 CHF 45.46

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 CHF 48.36

$76.0 CHF 60.0

-19.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.65 CHF 14.72

$47.71 CHF 37.65

-60.91%

Cinema Ticket

$24.88 CHF 19.64

$26.56 CHF 20.96

-6.33%

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

$3,433 CHF 2,709

$2,763 CHF 2,180

24.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

16.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$110 CHF 87.0

27.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 CHF 48.33

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$149 CHF 117

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 156

$185 CHF 146

6.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 CHF 985

$1,834 CHF 1,448

-31.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 CHF 839

$1,486 CHF 1,173

-28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CHF 1,568

$3,523 CHF 2,780

-43.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CHF 1,348

$2,944 CHF 2,323

-41.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,351 CHF 3,433

$7,571 CHF 5,975

-42.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

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

Last update for Olten: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,248 in Olten and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 74% 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: $105 in Olten vs $145 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $576 vs $651 per month, with Olten 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 ($2,941 vs $3,565 including rent). Olten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lausanne earns 74% less. 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: $1,248 in Olten 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 Olten – a meal for two runs $105 versus $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,941 per month in Olten versus $3,565 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.