Budget · Interlaken · Switzerland
Interlaken on a budget
What a trip to Interlaken really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Interlaken is very expensive for most international visitors. Budget roughly $110–$180 per person per day on a tight budget, $260–$450 mid-range and $600–$1,500 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in March–April and November.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $110–$180 a day
- Mid-range
- $260–$450 a day
- Luxury
- $600–$1,500 a day
- Local currency
- CHF
- Free sights
- 4
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $110–$180 | $330–$540 | $550–$900 | $770–$1,260 |
| Mid-range | $260–$450 | $780–$1,350 | $1,300–$2,250 | $1,820–$3,150 |
| Luxury | $600–$1,500 | $1,800–$4,500 | $3,000–$7,500 | $4,200–$10,500 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Interlaken, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | about CHF 4.50–6 |
| Rösti or main course in a restaurant | about CHF 25–40 |
| Supermarket picnic lunch | about CHF 10–15 |
| Beer (0.5 l) in a bar | about CHF 7–10 |
| Jungfraujoch return ticket, full fare | about CHF 200–260 |
| Harder Kulm funicular return | about CHF 30–40 |
| Tandem paragliding flight | about CHF 170–250 |
| Hostel dorm bed | about CHF 40–65 |
Money-saving tips
- Work out your excursions first, then compare the Swiss Travel Pass, Jungfrau Travel Pass and Half Fare Card; the right pass can save hundreds of francs.
- Keep Jungfraujoch for a clear day and spend cloudy days on low-level walks and waterfalls, which cost little or nothing.
- Self-catering apartments and supermarket picnics cut food costs sharply.
- Use your hotel's guest card for free local buses around Interlaken.
- Stay in Lauterbrunnen or Wilderswil for lower prices than Grindelwald and Wengen.
- Prices drop outside July, August and the Christmas–New Year ski weeks.
Free things to do
- Lauterbrunnen and Staubbach Falls — Lauterbrunnen's valley floor is enclosed by limestone walls hundreds of metres high, with waterfalls pouring off the rim.
- Höhematte — The open meadow in the centre of town, protected from building since the 19th century, frames a direct view of the Jungfrau between the hills.
- Iseltwald — A small fishing village on a peninsula on the south shore of Lake Brienz, with wooden houses, a little castle on the point and clear turquoise water.
- Unterseen old town — A short walk across the Aare from Interlaken West, Unterseen's square is lined with 17th-century houses and a church tower, the oldest part of the Bödeli.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, solo travellers and budget
Interlaken Ost
Station quarter for mountain trains, the Harder funicular and Lake Brienz boats
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and budget
Unterseen
Old wooden houses, a church square and the Aare river on the north side of town
$$ · Best for families, budget and quiet stays
Matten and Wilderswil
Village streets on the valley floor towards the mountains, on the BOB rail line
Eating well for less
- Bernese Alpine cheese — Dairies and alp huts along hiking trails, village cheese shops and supermarkets.
- Braided Sunday bread — Hotel breakfast buffets and every bakery, especially at weekends.
Getting around for less
Swiss Travel Pass
Covers trains to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren and the lake boats, and gives discounts on Jungfraujoch, First and Schilthorn.
Jungfrau Travel Pass
Unlimited travel for consecutive days on most railways and cable cars of the Jungfrau region, with a reduced fare for the final section to Jungfraujoch.
Berner Oberland Regional Pass
A regional pass covering trains, boats, buses and many mountain lifts across the Bernese Oberland.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Interlaken cost?
About $1,300–$2,250 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $550–$900 on a tight budget.
+Is Interlaken expensive?
It is very expensive for international visitors. Work out your excursions first, then compare the Swiss Travel Pass, Jungfrau Travel Pass and Half Fare Card; the right pass can save hundreds of francs.
+How much money do I need per day in Interlaken?
Roughly $110–$180 on a budget and $260–$450 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Interlaken?
Usually in March–April and November.