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: $3,501 in Thun versus $3,498 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,246 in Thun versus $5,732 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,990 in Thun versus $7,966 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs are close between Thun and Lausanne; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 161% above, Lausanne 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.18 CHF 22.26

$33.00 CHF 26.07

-14.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 CHF 96.9

$147 CHF 116

-16.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.14 CHF 13.54

$19.28 CHF 15.23

-11.10%

Cappuccino

$5.95 CHF 4.70

$6.09 CHF 4.81

-2.30%

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

$4.90 CHF 3.87

$5.33 CHF 4.21

-8.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 CHF 3.76

$4.80 CHF 3.79

-0.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 CHF 6.62

$10.02 CHF 7.92

-16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 CHF 6.01

$8.55 CHF 6.76

-10.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 CHF 2.62

$4.10 CHF 3.24

-19.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.33

$4.46 CHF 3.52

-5.38%

Eggs

$7.17 CHF 5.66

$7.15 CHF 5.65

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.38 CHF 20.84

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.87 CHF 22.81

$28.91 CHF 22.84

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.55 CHF 32.83

$52.6 CHF 41.52

-20.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 CHF 2.77

$3.66 CHF 2.89

-4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.15 CHF 1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.29

$2.94 CHF 2.32

-1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.54 CHF 5.17

$6.57 CHF 5.19

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-11.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$2.63 CHF 2.08

-3.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.90

$1.40 CHF 1.11

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 CHF 8.85

$11.02 CHF 8.71

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 CHF 10.23

$16.17 CHF 12.77

-19.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CHF 1.51

$2.01 CHF 1.59

-4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 CHF 1.80

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.01

$4.86 CHF 3.84

-21.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 76.5

$96.0 CHF 75.8

0.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.16

$7.86 CHF 6.21

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 CHF 2.67

$3.32 CHF 2.62

1.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.0 CHF 52.1

$65.6 CHF 51.8

0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.23 CHF 1.76

1.35%

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

$40.3K CHF 31.8K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

1.12%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.8K

$40.8K CHF 32.2K

1.56%

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

$365 CHF 288

$324 CHF 256

12.64%

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

$58.9 CHF 46.53

$49.73 CHF 39.29

18.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 CHF 46.80

$58.4 CHF 46.16

1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 CHF 68.8

$77.4 CHF 61.2

12.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.11 CHF 38.80

Cinema Ticket

$24.76 CHF 19.56

$26.10 CHF 20.62

-5.13%

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

$3,063 CHF 2,420

$2,823 CHF 2,230

8.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 26.4K

$34.6K CHF 27.4K

-3.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$150 CHF 118

$108 CHF 85.4

38.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 CHF 55.3

$70.2 CHF 55.5

-0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 139

$153 CHF 121

14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 147

$187 CHF 148

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 CHF 1,345

$1,884 CHF 1,488

-9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CHF 1,146

$1,465 CHF 1,157

-0.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 CHF 2,218

$3,584 CHF 2,831

-21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,498 CHF 1,973

$2,901 CHF 2,292

-13.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.0K CHF 15.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,743 CHF 6,117

$15.0K CHF 11.8K

-48.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,607 CHF 5,219

$7,840 CHF 6,194

-15.73%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,703 in Thun and $1,884 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 19% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $123 in Thun vs $147 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $599 vs $656 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

On paper, Lausanne earns 19% 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: $1,703 in Thun versus $1,884 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lausanne runs roughly 1% less than in Thun. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Thun pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Lausanne wins on affordability, Thun on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.