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: $2,824 in Solothurn versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,426 in Solothurn versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,029 in Solothurn versus $7,788 in Lausanne.

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 21% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 111% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.88 CHF 24.35

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-5.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$145 CHF 114

-1.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.70 CHF 16.32

$18.73 CHF 14.77

10.52%

Cappuccino

$6.63 CHF 5.23

$6.07 CHF 4.79

9.23%

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

$5.61 CHF 4.42

$5.59 CHF 4.41

0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.04

$4.70 CHF 3.71

9.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 CHF 5.24

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-31.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CHF 4.92

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-25.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.19 CHF 1.73

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 CHF 2.70

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-17.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.67

$4.48 CHF 3.53

-24.33%

Eggs

$7.47 CHF 5.89

$7.01 CHF 5.52

6.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.54 CHF 23.29

$26.22 CHF 20.67

12.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.76 CHF 24.25

$28.78 CHF 22.69

6.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.99 CHF 30.74

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-24.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.33

$3.60 CHF 2.84

17.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.28

$2.19 CHF 1.73

32.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.46

$2.95 CHF 2.32

5.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CHF 3.42

$6.43 CHF 5.07

-32.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.52

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-23.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.59

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.49 CHF 1.96

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.84

$1.39 CHF 1.09

-23.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 8.91

$10.93 CHF 8.62

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 CHF 8.09

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-36.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CHF 2.09

$2.01 CHF 1.59

31.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.92

$3.20 CHF 2.52

-24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CHF 77.4

$97.6 CHF 77.0

0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.05

$7.98 CHF 6.29

-3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$3.26 CHF 2.57

28.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 CHF 57.6

$67.6 CHF 53.3

8.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.15 CHF 1.70

6.98%

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

$38.3K CHF 30.2K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-6.86%

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

$37.8K CHF 29.8K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-9.40%

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

$100 CHF 78.9

$322 CHF 254

-68.94%

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

$30.95 CHF 24.40

$50.3 CHF 39.66

-38.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.53

$57.6 CHF 45.42

0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 CHF 58.3

$76.0 CHF 59.9

-2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.25 CHF 19.12

$47.71 CHF 37.61

-49.17%

Cinema Ticket

$24.39 CHF 19.23

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-8.17%

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

$3,424 CHF 2,700

$2,763 CHF 2,178

23.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K CHF 15.6K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

-42.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$110 CHF 86.9

27.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 CHF 33.53

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-39.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$149 CHF 117

-33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 148

$185 CHF 146

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CHF 997

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-31.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CHF 840

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-28.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CHF 1,462

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-47.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 CHF 1,384

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-40.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,088

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-47.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,092 CHF 4,014

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-64.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,149 CHF 5,636

$7,571 CHF 5,969

-5.57%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Solothurn and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 6% 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: $143 in Solothurn vs $145 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $604 vs $651 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 26% in total monthly costs ($2,824 vs $3,565 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lausanne earns 6% 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: $1,265 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 $143 versus $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,824 per month in Solothurn versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 26% 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 26% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.