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 $3,604 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,253 in Thun versus $5,688 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,005 in Thun versus $7,772 in Lausanne.

Living in Thun costs roughly 3% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 163% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.67 CHF 22.33

$32.78 CHF 26.46

-15.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 101

$146 CHF 118

-14.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.19 CHF 13.87

$18.83 CHF 15.19

-8.71%

Cappuccino

$5.98 CHF 4.83

$6.09 CHF 4.92

-1.81%

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

$4.91 CHF 3.96

$5.33 CHF 4.30

-7.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.78

$4.69 CHF 3.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 CHF 6.70

$9.74 CHF 7.86

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 CHF 6.30

$8.36 CHF 6.75

-6.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.16 CHF 1.74

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CHF 2.74

$4.05 CHF 3.27

-16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.30

$4.52 CHF 3.65

-9.51%

Eggs

$7.15 CHF 5.77

$7.02 CHF 5.66

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.63 CHF 21.49

$26.66 CHF 21.52

-0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.89 CHF 23.31

$28.77 CHF 23.22

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.77 CHF 32.90

$52.7 CHF 42.55

-22.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CHF 2.82

$3.79 CHF 3.06

-7.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$2.09 CHF 1.69

-0.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.26

$2.81 CHF 2.27

-0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 CHF 5.23

$6.44 CHF 5.20

0.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.82

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.40 CHF 1.94

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$2.52 CHF 2.04

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.39 CHF 1.12

-17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.77

$11.22 CHF 9.05

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CHF 9.74

$15.40 CHF 12.43

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CHF 1.54

$2.03 CHF 1.64

-5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$3.28 CHF 2.65

-28.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$4.91 CHF 3.96

-21.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 78.1

$94.9 CHF 76.6

2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 CHF 6.41

$7.76 CHF 6.26

2.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 CHF 2.62

$3.41 CHF 2.75

-4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.3 CHF 52.7

$66.8 CHF 53.9

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.79

$2.16 CHF 1.74

2.78%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-1.59%

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

$41.0K CHF 33.1K

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

-1.00%

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

$373 CHF 301

$321 CHF 259

16.08%

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

$59.9 CHF 48.34

$51.0 CHF 41.17

17.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CHF 47.01

$59.6 CHF 48.06

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.2

$77.3 CHF 62.4

15.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.48 CHF 38.32

Cinema Ticket

$24.23 CHF 19.56

$26.09 CHF 21.05

-7.13%

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

$3,109 CHF 2,509

$2,837 CHF 2,289

9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.6K

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

-1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$152 CHF 123

$107 CHF 86.5

41.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.1 CHF 56.6

$70.8 CHF 57.1

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$172 CHF 139

$149 CHF 120

15.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 151

$183 CHF 148

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 CHF 1,376

$1,822 CHF 1,470

-6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 CHF 1,190

$1,469 CHF 1,185

0.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,859 CHF 2,307

$3,656 CHF 2,950

-21.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,420 CHF 1,953

$2,968 CHF 2,395

-18.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,225 CHF 5,831

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

-47.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,956 CHF 4,807

$6,703 CHF 5,409

-11.14%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,705 in Thun and $1,822 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 13% 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: $125 in Thun vs $146 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $595 vs $652 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 3% in total monthly costs ($3,501 vs $3,604 including rent). Thun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $1,705 in Thun versus $1,822 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 $125 versus $146 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,501 per month in Thun versus $3,604 in Lausanne – a 3% 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 3% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.