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: $2,973 in Olten versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,526 in Olten versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,078 in Olten versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Olten costs roughly 18% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olten 123% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 25.31

$32.44 CHF 26.28

-3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 CHF 83.2

$148 CHF 120

-30.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.04 CHF 13.81

$19.05 CHF 15.43

-10.55%

Cappuccino

$5.51 CHF 4.46

$5.90 CHF 4.78

-6.61%

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

$5.20 CHF 4.21

$5.41 CHF 4.38

-3.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 CHF 3.65

$4.92 CHF 3.98

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 CHF 5.89

$10.12 CHF 8.19

-28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.07

$8.85 CHF 7.17

-29.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-16.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.30

$4.37 CHF 3.54

-6.64%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 6.09

$7.37 CHF 5.97

2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.94 CHF 17.77

$26.35 CHF 21.35

-16.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.36 CHF 20.54

$28.58 CHF 23.15

-11.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.38 CHF 32.70

$53.2 CHF 43.07

-24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.42

$3.80 CHF 3.08

11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.15 CHF 1.74

17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$2.89 CHF 2.34

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.08

$6.62 CHF 5.36

-23.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.21

$2.43 CHF 1.97

12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-4.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$2.53 CHF 2.05

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$1.40 CHF 1.14

6.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$11.03 CHF 8.94

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.29 CHF 10.76

$15.39 CHF 12.47

-13.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.86 CHF 3.13

$4.83 CHF 3.91

-20.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 79.6

$96.1 CHF 77.8

2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 CHF 6.27

$7.67 CHF 6.21

0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$3.42 CHF 2.77

23.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 CHF 50.8

$66.1 CHF 53.6

-5.19%

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)

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

0.30%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-1.68%

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

$254 CHF 206

$331 CHF 268

-23.07%

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

$33.62 CHF 27.24

$50.0 CHF 40.52

-32.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.04

$57.7 CHF 46.77

0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CHF 50.5

$78.4 CHF 63.5

-20.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CHF 15.21

$48.46 CHF 39.25

-61.27%

Cinema Ticket

$25.09 CHF 20.32

$26.35 CHF 21.35

-4.78%

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

$3,456 CHF 2,799

$2,843 CHF 2,303

21.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

14.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$110 CHF 89.1

26.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 49.15

$69.2 CHF 56.0

-12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$153 CHF 124

-4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$184 CHF 149

7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CHF 1,017

$1,834 CHF 1,486

-31.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 CHF 849

$1,476 CHF 1,195

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 CHF 1,585

$3,654 CHF 2,960

-46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CHF 1,374

$2,979 CHF 2,413

-43.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

-21.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-12.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CHF 3,406

$6,512 CHF 5,275

-35.42%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Olten and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 55% 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: $103 in Olten vs $148 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $571 vs $655 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 22% in total monthly costs ($2,973 vs $3,619 including rent). Olten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% 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: $1,256 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 $103 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,973 per month in Olten versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 22% 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 22% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.