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: $2,830 in Solothurn versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,520 in Solothurn versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,211 in Solothurn versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 22% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 112% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.30

$32.44 CHF 26.28

-3.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$148 CHF 120

-2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.25

$19.05 CHF 15.43

11.81%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.29

$5.90 CHF 4.78

10.68%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.57

$5.41 CHF 4.38

4.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.37

$4.92 CHF 3.98

9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.57

$10.12 CHF 8.19

-32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.14

$8.85 CHF 7.17

-28.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-20.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$4.37 CHF 3.54

-25.40%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.84

$7.37 CHF 5.97

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.35

$26.35 CHF 21.35

14.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.47

$28.58 CHF 23.15

10.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.12

$53.2 CHF 43.07

-25.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$3.80 CHF 3.08

9.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.15 CHF 1.74

34.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.42

$2.89 CHF 2.34

3.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$6.62 CHF 5.36

-36.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-20.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-16.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.53 CHF 2.05

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$1.40 CHF 1.14

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$11.03 CHF 8.94

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.88

$15.39 CHF 12.47

-36.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$2.10 CHF 1.70

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$3.27 CHF 2.65

-26.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$4.83 CHF 3.91

-24.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.6

$96.1 CHF 77.8

1.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.15

$7.67 CHF 6.21

-1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.39

$3.42 CHF 2.77

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.8

$66.1 CHF 53.6

13.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.18 CHF 1.76

6.88%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.2K

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

-6.00%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.5K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-4.44%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.5

$331 CHF 268

-70.70%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.54

$50.0 CHF 40.52

-39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.86

$57.7 CHF 46.77

2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.2

$78.4 CHF 63.5

-6.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.06

$48.46 CHF 39.25

-48.89%

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.25

$26.35 CHF 21.35

-5.12%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,772

$2,843 CHF 2,303

20.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.8K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

-43.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$110 CHF 89.1

27.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.55

$69.2 CHF 56.0

-36.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.4

$153 CHF 124

-35.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$184 CHF 149

1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,035

$1,834 CHF 1,486

-30.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 877

$1,476 CHF 1,195

-26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,506

$3,654 CHF 2,960

-49.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,420

$2,979 CHF 2,413

-41.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,962

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

-47.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,999

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-65.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,510

$6,512 CHF 5,275

4.46%

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 Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Solothurn and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Solothurn 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: $144 in Solothurn vs $148 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $604 vs $655 per month, with Solothurn 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 28% in total monthly costs ($2,830 vs $3,619 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Solothurn, 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: $1,278 in Solothurn 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 Solothurn – a meal for two runs $144 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,830 per month in Solothurn versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 28% 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 28% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.