Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,801 in Solothurn versus $3,900 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,577 in Solothurn versus $5,943 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,353 in Solothurn versus $7,986 in Lausanne.

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 28% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 103% above, Lausanne 183% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.41 CHF 24.82

$30.85 CHF 25.18

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 122

$120 CHF 97.9

24.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.46 CHF 15.06

$18.94 CHF 15.45

-2.53%

Cappuccino

$6.68 CHF 5.45

$6.21 CHF 5.07

7.57%

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

$5.63 CHF 4.60

$5.26 CHF 4.30

7.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 CHF 4.37

$4.32 CHF 3.53

24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 CHF 5.65

$10.68 CHF 8.72

-35.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.23 CHF 5.08

$9.99 CHF 8.15

-37.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.82

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 CHF 3.12

$4.07 CHF 3.32

-6.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.88

$3.32 CHF 2.71

6.33%

Eggs

$8.83 CHF 7.20

$7.13 CHF 5.82

23.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.83 CHF 18.63

$24.97 CHF 20.38

-8.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.51 CHF 21.64

$28.48 CHF 23.25

-6.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.7 CHF 50.3

$40.00 CHF 32.65

54.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.41

$3.73 CHF 3.04

-20.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CHF 1.18

$2.17 CHF 1.77

-33.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 CHF 2.87

$2.62 CHF 2.14

34.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.45

$4.76 CHF 3.88

-11.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 CHF 1.36

$1.81 CHF 1.48

-7.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.45

$1.99 CHF 1.62

-10.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 CHF 1.33

$2.05 CHF 1.68

-20.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 CHF 0.81

$1.71 CHF 1.39

-41.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.32 CHF 9.24

$10.90 CHF 8.90

3.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 CHF 10.87

$15.21 CHF 12.42

-12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CHF 2.36

$2.74 CHF 2.23

5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.67

$3.33 CHF 2.72

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.85 CHF 3.96

$4.55 CHF 3.72

6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.46 CHF 6.91

$7.80 CHF 6.36

8.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.75 CHF 3.88

$4.71 CHF 3.85

0.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$92.5 CHF 75.5

$85.7 CHF 69.9

7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.93

$2.27 CHF 1.85

3.96%

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

$31.4K CHF 25.6K

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

-28.90%

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

$36.2K CHF 29.5K

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

-9.61%

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

$98.0 CHF 80.0

$295 CHF 240

-66.72%

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

$30.80 CHF 25.13

$37.56 CHF 30.65

-18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 47.73

$51.2 CHF 41.78

14.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.9 CHF 75.0

$72.5 CHF 59.2

26.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 CHF 14.08

$50.4 CHF 41.15

-65.79%

Cinema Ticket

$18.52 CHF 15.11

$24.31 CHF 19.84

-23.82%

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

$3,692 CHF 3,013

$3,018 CHF 2,463

22.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K CHF 15.9K

$37.2K CHF 30.3K

-47.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 117

$145 CHF 118

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.91 CHF 35.84

$78.1 CHF 63.8

-43.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$171 CHF 139

$144 CHF 118

18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$258 CHF 210

$217 CHF 177

18.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CHF 980

$2,280 CHF 1,861

-47.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 CHF 875

$1,848 CHF 1,508

-41.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 CHF 1,519

$4,387 CHF 3,580

-57.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 CHF 1,482

$3,275 CHF 2,672

-44.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,687 CHF 7,906

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

-48.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 CHF 4,089

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

-65.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,908 CHF 5,637

$7,014 CHF 5,724

-1.52%

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 Solothurn: September 8, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,201 in Solothurn and $2,280 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 2% 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: $149 in Solothurn vs $120 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $629 vs $597 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

Solothurn vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Solothurn and Lausanne differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($2,801 vs $3,900 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $1,201 in Solothurn versus $2,280 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lausanne pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,801 per month in Solothurn versus $3,900 in Lausanne – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Solothurn 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, Solothurn 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 Solothurn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.