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: $3,584 in Schwyz versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,717 in Schwyz versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,850 in Schwyz versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Schwyz costs roughly 6% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schwyz 161% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.47 CHF 25.59

$31.49 CHF 25.61

-0.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 CHF 103

$119 CHF 96.7

6.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.34 CHF 14.91

$19.27 CHF 15.67

-4.83%

Cappuccino

$6.31 CHF 5.13

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-0.16%

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

$5.58 CHF 4.53

$5.28 CHF 4.30

5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CHF 4.14

$4.09 CHF 3.32

24.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.87 CHF 7.21

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 CHF 5.69

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-29.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.28 CHF 1.86

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 CHF 3.41

$3.97 CHF 3.23

5.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.51

$3.28 CHF 2.66

31.71%

Eggs

$7.70 CHF 6.26

$7.55 CHF 6.14

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.98 CHF 26.81

$24.73 CHF 20.10

33.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.93 CHF 24.33

$28.61 CHF 23.26

4.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.04 CHF 35.80

$40.20 CHF 32.68

9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.08

$3.68 CHF 2.99

2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.10 CHF 1.71

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.58

$2.53 CHF 2.06

25.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 CHF 4.44

$4.55 CHF 3.70

20.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$1.82 CHF 1.48

26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.16

$1.98 CHF 1.61

34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CHF 1.98

$2.03 CHF 1.65

19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.09 CHF 9.02

$11.19 CHF 9.10

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.19

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CHF 2.40

$2.69 CHF 2.19

9.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CHF 3.28

$3.22 CHF 2.62

25.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.36 CHF 3.54

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-4.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 82.5

$97.5 CHF 79.2

4.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 CHF 5.04

$7.82 CHF 6.36

-20.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.20 CHF 5.04

$4.74 CHF 3.85

30.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 CHF 49.76

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-30.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-2.12%

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

$43.9K CHF 35.7K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-1.73%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.5K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

-0.15%

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

$236 CHF 192

$305 CHF 248

-22.68%

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

$41.29 CHF 33.57

$38.30 CHF 31.14

7.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.0

$51.6 CHF 41.91

24.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.2 CHF 77.4

$74.1 CHF 60.3

28.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.93 CHF 38.16

$50.8 CHF 41.27

-7.55%

Cinema Ticket

$28.63 CHF 23.28

$24.97 CHF 20.30

14.66%

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

$1,845 CHF 1,500

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-39.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 27.5K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-11.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$172 CHF 140

$144 CHF 117

19.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 CHF 55.0

$77.9 CHF 63.4

-13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$197 CHF 160

$141 CHF 114

40.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 153

$224 CHF 182

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 CHF 1,494

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 CHF 1,237

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-16.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,897 CHF 2,355

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-34.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,939 CHF 2,389

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-11.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.8K CHF 13.7K

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-8.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,963

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-14.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,222 CHF 5,871

$6,938 CHF 5,640

4.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

1.95

-2.56%

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

Last update for Schwyz: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,837 in Schwyz and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schwyz pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $127 in Schwyz vs $119 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $653 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

Schwyz vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schwyz and Lausanne differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($3,584 vs $3,824 including rent). Schwyz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Schwyz, 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: $1,837 in Schwyz 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 Schwyz – a meal for two runs $127 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,584 per month in Schwyz versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 7% 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 7% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.