Cost of Living Comparison Between Schwyz and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Schwyz and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,465 in Schwyz versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,335 in Schwyz versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,205 in Schwyz versus $7,788 in Lausanne.

Living in Schwyz costs roughly 3% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schwyz 159% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.47 CHF 24.81

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-4.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 117

$145 CHF 114

2.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.24 CHF 15.17

$18.73 CHF 14.77

2.72%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.47

$6.07 CHF 4.79

14.33%

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

$5.65 CHF 4.45

$5.59 CHF 4.41

1.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 CHF 4.28

$4.70 CHF 3.71

15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 CHF 5.97

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-21.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 CHF 5.97

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-9.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$2.19 CHF 1.73

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.19

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 2.91

$4.48 CHF 3.53

-17.63%

Eggs

$8.17 CHF 6.44

$7.01 CHF 5.52

16.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.29 CHF 21.51

$26.22 CHF 20.67

4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.66 CHF 25.75

$28.78 CHF 22.69

13.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.73 CHF 32.11

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-21.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.50

$3.60 CHF 2.84

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-2.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.03

$2.95 CHF 2.32

-12.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.16 CHF 5.64

$6.43 CHF 5.07

11.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-10.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.49 CHF 1.96

5.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CHF 0.86

$1.39 CHF 1.09

-21.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.81 CHF 8.52

$10.93 CHF 8.62

-1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 CHF 10.16

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-19.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.01 CHF 1.59

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.81

$3.20 CHF 2.52

-28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.14

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-16.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 CHF 77.5

$97.6 CHF 77.0

0.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 CHF 5.31

$7.98 CHF 6.29

-15.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.35 CHF 3.43

$3.26 CHF 2.57

33.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 64.2

$67.6 CHF 53.3

20.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-0.93%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-0.12%

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

$41.4K CHF 32.7K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-0.65%

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

$291 CHF 230

$322 CHF 254

-9.57%

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

$59.2 CHF 46.65

$50.3 CHF 39.66

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 CHF 41.55

$57.6 CHF 45.42

-8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.1

$76.0 CHF 59.9

17.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$23.14 CHF 18.24

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-12.88%

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

$2,824 CHF 2,226

$2,763 CHF 2,178

2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.4K CHF 31.8K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

17.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 85.7

$110 CHF 86.9

-1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 42.36

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 CHF 120

$149 CHF 117

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$185 CHF 146

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CHF 1,322

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 CHF 1,153

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,814 CHF 2,219

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-20.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 CHF 1,968

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-15.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K CHF 11.1K

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-28.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,272 CHF 7,310

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-35.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,226 CHF 5,697

$7,571 CHF 5,969

-4.55%

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 Schwyz: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Schwyz and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 5% 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: $148 in Schwyz vs $145 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $629 vs $651, with Schwyz 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

Schwyz vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schwyz and Lausanne differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,465 vs $3,565 including rent). Schwyz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lausanne earns 5% 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: $1,677 in Schwyz 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 Schwyz – a meal for two runs $148 versus $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,465 per month in Schwyz versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Schwyz 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, Schwyz 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 Schwyz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.