Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,743 in St. Gallen versus $3,900 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,379 in St. Gallen versus $5,943 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,016 in St. Gallen versus $7,986 in Lausanne.

Living in St. Gallen costs roughly 4% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. Gallen 171% above, Lausanne 183% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.37 CHF 23.79

$30.85 CHF 24.99

-4.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 122

$120 CHF 97.2

25.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.38 CHF 14.89

$18.94 CHF 15.34

-2.96%

Cappuccino

$6.27 CHF 5.08

$6.21 CHF 5.03

0.97%

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

$6.07 CHF 4.92

$5.26 CHF 4.26

15.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 CHF 4.27

$4.32 CHF 3.50

21.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.17 CHF 7.43

$10.68 CHF 8.65

-14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CHF 5.27

$9.99 CHF 8.09

-34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-0.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 CHF 2.58

$4.07 CHF 3.29

-21.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.17

$3.32 CHF 2.69

18.07%

Eggs

$7.80 CHF 6.32

$7.13 CHF 5.78

9.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.19 CHF 21.21

$24.97 CHF 20.22

4.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.72 CHF 24.07

$28.48 CHF 23.07

4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.85 CHF 32.28

$40.00 CHF 32.40

-0.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.57

$3.73 CHF 3.02

-15.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-23.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.01

$2.62 CHF 2.12

-5.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 CHF 5.06

$4.76 CHF 3.85

31.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CHF 1.37

$1.81 CHF 1.47

-6.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$1.99 CHF 1.61

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$2.05 CHF 1.66

12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 0.99

$1.71 CHF 1.38

-28.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.89

$10.90 CHF 8.83

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 CHF 9.33

$15.21 CHF 12.32

-24.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.96

$3.33 CHF 2.70

-27.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.38 CHF 3.54

$4.55 CHF 3.69

-3.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$129 CHF 104

$95.4 CHF 77.2

35.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 CHF 5.55

$7.80 CHF 6.31

-12.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.88 CHF 3.95

$4.71 CHF 3.82

3.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.2

$85.7 CHF 69.4

-7.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$2.27 CHF 1.84

-1.76%

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

$36.2K CHF 29.3K

$44.2K CHF 35.8K

-18.12%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-0.78%

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

$314 CHF 254

$295 CHF 239

6.49%

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

$38.80 CHF 31.42

$37.56 CHF 30.42

3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CHF 45.07

$51.2 CHF 41.46

8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.0 CHF 66.4

$72.5 CHF 58.7

13.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$97.4 CHF 78.9

$50.4 CHF 40.83

93.22%

Cinema Ticket

$30.46 CHF 24.67

$24.31 CHF 19.69

25.30%

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

$2,327 CHF 1,885

$3,018 CHF 2,445

-22.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K CHF 26.2K

$37.2K CHF 30.1K

-12.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$149 CHF 121

$145 CHF 118

2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CHF 54.0

$78.1 CHF 63.3

-14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 122

$144 CHF 117

4.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 150

$217 CHF 176

-14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CHF 1,489

$2,280 CHF 1,847

-19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 CHF 1,415

$1,848 CHF 1,497

-5.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,331

$4,387 CHF 3,553

-34.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 CHF 1,799

$3,275 CHF 2,652

-32.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,975

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

-34.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,335 CHF 7,560

$14.5K CHF 11.7K

-35.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,935 CHF 5,616

$7,014 CHF 5,681

-1.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

1.95

7.69%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,838 in St. Gallen and $2,280 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 1% 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: $150 in St. Gallen vs $120 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $587 vs $597, with St. Gallen 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

St. Gallen vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Gallen and Lausanne differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($3,743 vs $3,900 including rent). St. Gallen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $1,838 in St. Gallen versus $2,280 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in St. Gallen – a meal for two runs $150 versus $120 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,743 per month in St. Gallen versus $3,900 in Lausanne – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. St. Gallen 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, St. Gallen 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 St. Gallen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.