Vaud vs Valais
In short: taxes are lower in Valais, rent is cheaper in Valais and the health premium is lower in Valais. All metrics in detail:
| Metric | Vaud | Valais | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income tax (single, 80k) | CHF 11'839 | CHF 9'487 | ESTV · 2026 |
| Rent (avg) | CHF 1'465 | CHF 1'227 | BFS Strukturerhebung · 2024 |
| Health premium, standard model (adult) | CHF 696.57 | CHF 574.86 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Lowest health premium (adult) | CHF 447.86 | CHF 362.4 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Average health premium (adult) | CHF 543.5 | CHF 460.73 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Health premium saving potential (adult) | CHF 95.64 | CHF 98.33 | BAG / priminfo · 2027 |
| Premium subsidy recipients | 37.9% | 26.3% | BAG KVSTAT T 4.02 · 2025 |
| Premium subsidy per recipient | CHF 3'140 | CHF 2'552 | BAG KVSTAT T 4.08 · 2025 |
| Premium subsidy as share of premium | 62.3% | 60.5% | BAG KVSTAT T 4.08 · 2025 |
| Electricity price | 29.09 | 26.56 | ElCom · 2027 |
| Offences (per 1,000) | 74.86 | 37.83 | BFS PKS · 2024 |
| Violent offences (per 1,000) | 8.2 | 5.02 | BFS PKS · 2025 |
| Vacancy rate | 0.89% | 1.18% | BFS LWZ · 2025 |
| New dwellings (per 1,000) | 5.03 | 5.94 | BFS Bau- und Wohnbaustatistik · 2024 |
| Sunshine | 1'993.3 h | 1'935.2 h | MeteoSwiss · 2025 |
| Jobs | 498'823 | 202'116 | BFS STATENT · 2024 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 3.1% | SECO amstat · 2026 |
| Cross-border commuters (share of jobs) | 9.02% | 2.76% | BFS GGS/STATENT · 2024 |
| Median net income | CHF 52'999 | CHF 46'300 | ESTV dBSt · 2022 |
| Naturalisations (per 1,000 foreigners) | 18 | 11.7 | BFS/SEM Einbürgerungsstatistik · 2025 |
| Population growth | 1% | 1.3% | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2025 |
| Birth rate (per 1,000) | 9.07 | 7.93 | BFS BEVNAT · 2025 |
| Net migration (per 1,000) | 7.33‰ | 13.74‰ | BFS Demografische Bilanz · 2025 |
| Foreign residents | 34.25% | 26.5% | BFS STATPOP · 2025 |
| Fiscal balance per capita | −CHF 480 | CHF 204 | EFV FS-Modell · 2024 |
| Cantonal net debt per capita | −CHF 2'519 | CHF 2'427 | EFV Finanzstatistik · 2024 |
| Hospital beds (per 1,000) | 4.23 | 3.51 | BFS Krankenhausstatistik · 2024 |
| Cars per 1,000 residents | 498.72 | 634.68 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Electric share of car fleet | 4.53% | 3.62% | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Electric share of new cars | 16.43% | 17.05% | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Motorbikes per 1,000 residents | 77.23 | 99.74 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Goods vehicles per 1,000 residents | 45.97 | 71.59 | BFS/ASTRA IVZ · 2024 |
| Gigabit broadband availability | 71.6% | 66.8% | BAKOM Breitbandatlas · 2026 |
| Public-transport accessibility (ARE index) | 5'155.2 | 919 | ARE Erreichbarkeit · 2017 |
| Solar power per resident | 861.5 | 1'043.8 | BFE Pronovo register · 2026 |
| Population in Energiestadt communes | 59.1% | 74% | BFE Energiestadt · 2025 |
| Organic farmland share | 13.25% | 21.63% | BFS Landwirtschaftsstatistik · 2025 |
| Municipal waste per resident | 266.05 | 362.64 | BFS Cercle Indicateurs · 2023 |
| Separately collected waste share | 41.31% | 42.54% | BFS Cercle Indicateurs · 2023 |
Frequently asked questions
Where are taxes lower: Vaud or Valais?
In the canton of Valais (CHF 9'487 per year).
Where is rent cheaper: Vaud or Valais?
In the canton of Valais (CHF 1'227 per month).