Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,480 in Thun versus $3,765 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,357 in Thun versus $5,871 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,235 in Thun versus $7,978 in Lausanne.

Living in Thun costs roughly 8% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 154% above, Lausanne 175% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.49 CHF 24.34

$30.39 CHF 25.08

-2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 103

$121 CHF 99.6

3.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.37 CHF 13.51

$18.83 CHF 15.54

-13.06%

Cappuccino

$6.62 CHF 5.47

$6.00 CHF 4.95

10.33%

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

$6.47 CHF 5.34

$5.04 CHF 4.16

28.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.23

$4.28 CHF 3.53

48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.90 CHF 7.34

$10.44 CHF 8.61

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 CHF 6.67

$9.84 CHF 8.12

-17.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.85

$2.26 CHF 1.87

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 CHF 2.44

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-24.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 CHF 2.64

$3.37 CHF 2.78

-5.04%

Eggs

$8.00 CHF 6.60

$7.05 CHF 5.82

13.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.14 CHF 20.75

$25.26 CHF 20.85

-0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.21 CHF 23.28

$28.42 CHF 23.46

-0.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.13 CHF 32.30

$39.33 CHF 32.46

-0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CHF 3.03

$3.64 CHF 3.00

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 CHF 1.75

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 CHF 2.23

$2.50 CHF 2.06

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.88

$4.69 CHF 3.87

0.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 CHF 1.42

$1.80 CHF 1.49

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.66

$1.96 CHF 1.62

3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CHF 1.89

$2.04 CHF 1.68

12.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.10

$1.71 CHF 1.41

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CHF 9.68

$11.00 CHF 9.08

6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CHF 10.32

$15.10 CHF 12.46

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.89

$2.75 CHF 2.27

-16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.56

$3.20 CHF 2.64

-3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 CHF 3.80

$4.54 CHF 3.74

1.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 85.0

$95.3 CHF 78.7

8.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.99 CHF 6.60

$7.93 CHF 6.55

0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.79 CHF 3.95

$4.71 CHF 3.89

1.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 CHF 70.6

$85.7 CHF 70.8

-0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.96

$2.25 CHF 1.86

5.78%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.9K

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

2.76%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.6K

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

0.10%

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

$301 CHF 249

$301 CHF 248

0.19%

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

$54.0 CHF 44.56

$38.31 CHF 31.62

40.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.9

$50.4 CHF 41.63

26.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 CHF 75.0

$73.2 CHF 60.4

24.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.71 CHF 38.55

$48.47 CHF 40.01

-3.63%

Cinema Ticket

$23.30 CHF 19.23

$24.14 CHF 19.93

-3.48%

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

$3,038 CHF 2,507

$2,904 CHF 2,397

4.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K CHF 25.7K

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

-17.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$151 CHF 124

$147 CHF 121

2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 66.8

$78.0 CHF 64.3

3.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 138

$140 CHF 116

18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 167

$222 CHF 183

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 CHF 1,429

$2,271 CHF 1,875

-23.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 CHF 1,227

$1,803 CHF 1,488

-17.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,908 CHF 2,400

$4,302 CHF 3,551

-32.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 CHF 2,042

$3,292 CHF 2,718

-24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

-9.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

-11.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,992 CHF 4,946

$6,995 CHF 5,774

-14.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

1.95

24.62%

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

Last update for Thun: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,732 in Thun and $2,271 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 17% 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: $124 in Thun vs $121 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $573 vs $592, with Thun 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

Thun vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thun and Lausanne differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($3,480 vs $3,765 including rent). Thun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $1,732 in Thun versus $2,271 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thun – a meal for two runs $124 versus $121 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,480 per month in Thun versus $3,765 in Lausanne – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Thun 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, Thun 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 Thun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.