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: $3,597 in Thun versus $3,531 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,313 in Thun versus $5,650 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,030 in Thun versus $7,768 in Lausanne.

Living in Thun is roughly 2% more expensive than Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 170% above, Lausanne 165% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.60 CHF 21.89

$32.34 CHF 25.65

-14.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 98.7

$149 CHF 118

-16.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.49 CHF 13.87

$19.18 CHF 15.21

-8.81%

Cappuccino

$5.83 CHF 4.62

$6.07 CHF 4.82

-3.95%

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

$4.82 CHF 3.83

$5.42 CHF 4.30

-11.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 CHF 3.67

$4.70 CHF 3.73

-1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 CHF 6.53

$9.64 CHF 7.65

-14.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CHF 6.00

$8.88 CHF 7.04

-14.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.60

$4.20 CHF 3.33

-22.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.32

$4.38 CHF 3.47

-4.34%

Eggs

$7.15 CHF 5.67

$7.10 CHF 5.63

0.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.31 CHF 20.86

$26.79 CHF 21.25

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.87 CHF 22.90

$28.49 CHF 22.59

1.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.88 CHF 32.42

$53.4 CHF 42.35

-23.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.67

$3.78 CHF 3.00

-10.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.64

$2.09 CHF 1.66

-0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 CHF 2.20

$2.84 CHF 2.25

-2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 CHF 5.23

$6.68 CHF 5.30

-1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$2.46 CHF 1.95

-10.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-9.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$2.60 CHF 2.06

-6.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CHF 0.87

$1.47 CHF 1.17

-25.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 CHF 8.63

$10.94 CHF 8.68

-0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.39 CHF 9.83

$16.48 CHF 13.07

-24.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CHF 1.57

$2.12 CHF 1.68

-6.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.87

$3.24 CHF 2.57

-27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.99 CHF 3.17

$4.88 CHF 3.87

-18.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.7 CHF 76.7

$94.3 CHF 74.8

2.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.19

$7.69 CHF 6.10

1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 CHF 2.59

$3.37 CHF 2.67

-3.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.9 CHF 53.1

$67.5 CHF 53.5

-0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-3.14%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

$40.8K CHF 32.4K

0.66%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.3K

$40.8K CHF 32.4K

2.68%

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

$372 CHF 295

$321 CHF 255

15.67%

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

$58.3 CHF 46.26

$50.5 CHF 40.03

15.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 46.18

$59.7 CHF 47.34

-2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 69.7

$76.6 CHF 60.8

14.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.51 CHF 37.68

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.20

$26.91 CHF 21.34

-10.07%

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

$3,086 CHF 2,447

$2,769 CHF 2,196

11.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.2K CHF 27.1K

$34.0K CHF 27.0K

0.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$151 CHF 120

$109 CHF 86.7

38.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CHF 54.3

$70.0 CHF 55.5

-2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$173 CHF 137

$153 CHF 121

13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 149

$182 CHF 144

3.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CHF 1,355

$1,885 CHF 1,495

-9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 CHF 1,173

$1,455 CHF 1,154

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,846 CHF 2,257

$3,542 CHF 2,809

-19.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,433 CHF 1,930

$2,920 CHF 2,316

-16.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.1K CHF 15.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,503 CHF 5,951

$14.6K CHF 11.6K

-48.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,019 CHF 4,773

$7,573 CHF 6,006

-20.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

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

Last update for Thun: June 14, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,709 in Thun and $1,885 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $124 in Thun vs $149 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $592 vs $660 per month, with Thun 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

Thun vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thun and Lausanne differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,597 vs $3,531 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lausanne earns 26% 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: $1,709 in Thun versus $1,885 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lausanne – a meal for two runs $149 versus $124 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,597 per month in Thun versus $3,531 in Lausanne – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lausanne 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 Lausanne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Thun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.