Bern vs Vaud
In short: taxes are lower in Bern, rent is cheaper in Bern and the health premium is lower in Bern. All metrics in detail:
| Metric | Bern | Vaud | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income tax (single, 80k) | CHF 11'666 | CHF 11'839 | ESTV · 2026 |
| Rent (avg) | CHF 1'319 | CHF 1'465 | BFS Strukturerhebung · 2024 |
| Health premium, standard model (adult) | CHF 644.5 | CHF 696.57 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Lowest health premium (adult) | CHF 401.26 | CHF 447.86 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Average health premium (adult) | CHF 494.42 | CHF 543.5 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Health premium saving potential (adult) | CHF 93.16 | CHF 95.64 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Premium subsidy recipients | 25.6% | 37.9% | BAG KVSTAT T 4.02 · 2025 |
| Premium subsidy per recipient | CHF 2'447 | CHF 3'140 | BAG KVSTAT T 4.08 · 2025 |
| Premium subsidy as share of premium | 53.1% | 62.3% | BAG KVSTAT T 4.08 · 2025 |
| Electricity price | 27.95 | 29.09 | ElCom · 2027 |
| Offences (per 1,000) | 68.58 | 74.86 | BFS PKS · 2024 |
| Violent offences (per 1,000) | 4.31 | 8.2 | BFS PKS · 2025 |
| Vacancy rate | 1.12% | 0.89% | BFS LWZ · 2025 |
| New dwellings (per 1,000) | 2.42 | 5.03 | BFS Bau- und Wohnbaustatistik · 2024 |
| Sunshine | 1'781.9 h | 1'993.3 h | MeteoSwiss · 2025 |
| Jobs | 677'492 | 498'823 | BFS STATENT · 2024 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | 4.9% | SECO amstat · 2026 |
| Cross-border commuters (share of jobs) | 0.7% | 9.02% | BFS GGS/STATENT · 2024 |
| Median net income | CHF 52'950 | CHF 52'999 | ESTV dBSt · 2022 |
| Naturalisations (per 1,000 foreigners) | 17.4 | 18 | BFS/SEM Einbürgerungsstatistik · 2025 |
| Population growth | 0.46% | 1% | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2025 |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 8.12 | 9.07 | BFS BEVNAT · 2025 |
| Net migration (per 1,000) | 5.59‰ | 7.33‰ | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2025 |
| Foreign residents | 18.6% | 34.25% | BFS STATPOP · 2025 |
| Fiscal balance per capita | −CHF 169 | −CHF 480 | EFV FS-Modell · 2024 |
| Cantonal net debt per capita | CHF 5'099 | −CHF 2'519 | EFV Finanzstatistik · 2024 |
| Hospital beds (per 1,000) | 4.55 | 4.23 | BFS Krankenhausstatistik · 2024 |
| Cars per 1,000 residents | 514.76 | 498.72 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Electric share of car fleet | 3.59% | 4.53% | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Electric share of new cars | 21.79% | 16.43% | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Motorbikes per 1,000 residents | 92.85 | 77.23 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Goods vehicles per 1,000 residents | 58.97 | 45.97 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Gigabit broadband availability | 75.7% | 71.6% | BAKOM Breitbandatlas · 2026 |
| Public-transport accessibility (ARE index) | 3'486 | 5'155.2 | ARE Erreichbarkeit · 2017 |
| Solar power per resident | 995.1 | 861.5 | BFE Pronovo register · 2026 |
| Population in Energiestadt communes | 50.7% | 59.1% | BFE Energiestadt · 2025 |
| Organic farmland share | 15.21% | 13.25% | BFS Landwirtschaftsstatistik · 2025 |
| Municipal waste per resident | 292.41 | 266.05 | BFS Cercle Indicateurs · 2023 |
| Separately collected waste share | 30.82% | 41.31% | BFS Cercle Indicateurs · 2023 |
Frequently asked questions
Where are taxes lower: Bern or Vaud?
In the canton of Bern (CHF 11'666 per year).
Where is rent cheaper: Bern or Vaud?
In the canton of Bern (CHF 1'319 per month).