Gstaad costs well over twice as much as Villars. UBS puts good-quality holiday homes at about CHF 25,200 per m² in Gstaad, against CHF 10,500 in Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets (Q1 2026 asking prices). Choose Gstaad for privacy, its 200 km ski region and long-term value. Choose Villars for its boarding schools and its lower prices, about 1h15 to 1h30 from Geneva.
Gstaad vs Villars at a glance
| Gstaad (Saanen, Bern) | Villars-sur-Ollon (Ollon, Vaud) | |
|---|---|---|
| Upmarket holiday home, CHF per m² (UBS, Q1 2026) | ~25,200 | ~10,500 (Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets) |
| UBS ranking, 2026 (most expensive Swiss alpine destination) | 1st | 19th |
| Price change, last 12 months (UBS) | +3.3% | +3.4% |
| Price change, 5 years, per year (UBS) | +1.5% | +4.0% |
| Second-home share of the commune (ARE, March 2026) | Saanen 51.2% | Ollon 52.4% · Gryon 69.3% |
| Village altitude | 1,050 m | about 1,250 m |
| Ski area | about 200 km (Gstaad region) | over 130 km (Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets) |
| From Geneva Airport by car | about 2 hours | about 120 km, 1h15 to 1h30 |
| Rail | MOB / GoldenPass from Montreux or Zweisimmen | Bex–Villars–Bretaye cog railway, 45 min from Bex |
| Property transfer tax | 1.8% (canton Bern) | 2.2% cantonal plus up to 1.1% communal |
| Lump-sum tax, minimum base (2025 tax year) | CHF 400,000 | CHF 415,000 (wealth tax included) |
| Lex Koller holiday-home location | Yes (Saanen) | Yes (Ollon: Ecovets, Chesières, Villars, Arveyes; and Gryon) |
Figures as of November 2026. UBS prices are asking prices for good-quality homes, a weighted average of chalets and apartments.
How much cheaper is Villars than Gstaad?
For a comparable good-quality home, Villars costs roughly 40% of the Gstaad price per square metre. In the UBS Swiss Alpine Property Focus 2026, published on 3 June 2026, Gstaad ranks first of the Swiss alpine destinations at about CHF 25,200 per m². Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets is 19th at about CHF 10,500 per m².
The gap widens at the top of the market. UBS notes that in Gstaad's luxury segment more than CHF 40,000 per m² is normal. That is the level of a well-placed chalet on the Oberbort, in Ried or on the slopes towards Schönried. In Villars, the most sought-after chalets sit in quiet residential areas around the village, Chesières and Arveyes. They sell for much less than their Gstaad equivalents.
A simple illustration, using the UBS averages and nothing else:
| 150 m² home, good quality | Gstaad | Villars |
|---|---|---|
| Price at UBS average | ~CHF 3.78 million | ~CHF 1.58 million |
| Transfer tax (at the maximum rate) | ~CHF 68,000 (1.8%) | ~CHF 52,000 (3.3%) |
Real prices vary a great deal with location, view, plot size and condition. Our Gstaad price per square metre guide shows the gap between portal averages and actual top-end transactions.
Which market holds its value better?
Gstaad has the longer record of stability at the top. Villars has risen faster over the past five years from a lower base. UBS shows annual growth of 1.5% for Gstaad and 4.0% for Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets over five years. Over ten years the two are close: 1.2% and 1.4% a year.
Gstaad's value rests on scarcity and on its buyers. Saanen has strict building rules. New second homes have been impossible since the Second Homes Act. Its owners are international families who rarely need to sell. UBS describes Gstaad as a place where ultra-wealthy families from all over the world "seek sanctuary". Villars draws a broader mix: Swiss families from the Lake Geneva region, school families and international buyers looking for value. Demand there follows the wider Vaud market more closely.
UBS expects alpine prices overall to keep rising at a mid-single-digit annual rate in the coming quarters. It also warns that a tighter Lex Koller would reduce foreign demand. More detail is in our guide to property appreciation in the Saanenland.
Can a foreigner buy in Gstaad and in Villars?
Yes, in both, within the Lex Koller rules. Saanen, which includes Gstaad, is a holiday-home location for persons abroad in canton Bern. In canton Vaud, the official list includes "Ollon: Ecovets – Chesières – Villars – Arveyes" and the separate commune of Gryon.
The usual limits apply in both cantons. A buyer living abroad needs a permit to buy a holiday home in their own name. Each canton has an annual quota of permits. There are limits on living space and land. Canton Vaud had 175 quota units for 2025. As at 18 September 2026, 117 had not yet been used, and Gryon had its own allocation. Buyers with an EU/EFTA residence permit, or a C permit, are treated differently. Our Lex Koller guide sets out who needs a permit.
The Federal Council has proposed tightening Lex Koller. The consultation ran from 15 April to 15 July 2026. Nothing has been adopted and Parliament has not yet debated it, so the current rules still apply in both cantons.
Can you still buy a second home in Gstaad or Villars?
Yes, but only in buildings that already had second-home status. Saanen (51.2%), Ollon (52.4%) and Gryon (69.3%) are all well above the 20% limit of the Second Homes Act, according to the federal housing inventory published in March 2026. No new second homes may be built in any of them.
So in both resorts the holiday-home market depends on existing stock: homes approved before March 2012, which can be used freely, and conversions under strict conditions. A new-build apartment in either village will usually be restricted to main-residence use. We explain how to check a property's status in The Second Homes Act Explained.
Which is better for families with school-age children?
Villars, if boarding school is the priority. Aiglon College, founded in 1949 at Chesières, has about 500 pupils aged 6 to 18. Collège Beau Soleil, founded in 1910 in Villars itself, takes about 300 pupils aged 11 to 18. Many families buy in Villars so that they can be close to a child at one of these schools.
Gstaad's draw is different. Institut Le Rosey spends its winter term at its campus in Schönried. Local Swiss state schools in the Saanenland teach in German. Families who live in Gstaad often choose a boarding school in the Vaud Alps or by Lake Geneva. Aiglon is about an hour or more by car from Gstaad. See international schools near Gstaad and Le Rosey and property in Gstaad.
How do the ski areas compare?
Gstaad's region is larger: about 200 km of slopes between 1,000 and 3,000 metres, spread across Eggli, Wispile, Rellerli, Hornberg, Saanerslochgrat and Rinderberg. Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets has over 130 km. Villars is higher at about 1,250 m, against 1,050 m for Gstaad, and its lifts start close to the village.
The two areas share a neighbour: Glacier 3000. Its cable cars start at Col du Pillon, above Les Diablerets, and at Reusch near Gsteig on the Gstaad side. It needs its own ticket and is not included in the Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets pass. Our Gstaad skiing guide covers each sector.
Is tax lower in Gstaad (Bern) or Villars (Vaud)?
Overall, canton Bern is usually a little lighter for buyers and owners, but the difference depends on your situation. Bern's property transfer tax is 1.8% of the price. Vaud charges 2.2%, and the commune may add up to half of that again, so up to 3.3%. In both cantons the buyer owes it, and in Vaud the seller is jointly liable.
For residents taxed on a lump-sum basis, the 2025 minimum taxable base was CHF 400,000 in Bern and CHF 415,000 in Vaud (Vaud's figure includes a 15% surcharge for wealth tax). Income, wealth and property gains taxes also differ. Holiday-home owners living abroad pay tax in Switzerland on the property itself. A side-by-side view is in our Bern vs Vaud tax comparison. Take advice from a Swiss tax adviser before you buy.
Which is easier to reach?
Villars is quicker from Geneva: about 120 km from the airport, or 1h15 to 1h30 by car. It is also easy by train: the main line to Bex, then the Bex–Villars–Bretaye cog railway, which takes 45 minutes up to the village. Gstaad is about two hours from Geneva Airport by car and 2h50 by train, via the MOB GoldenPass line from Montreux. Bern is the other gateway, through Zweisimmen.
Gstaad has an advantage for owners who fly privately or by helicopter: the airfield at Saanen is a few minutes from the village. Our guide to getting to Gstaad lists the options.
How different does daily life feel?
Gstaad is quieter and more private, with a stronger international season. Its car-free Promenade, the Gstaad Palace, the Menuhin Festival and the Swiss Open tennis shape a calendar that runs from Christmas to late summer. Many owners stay for weeks at a time and value the discretion more than anything else.
Villars feels more like a lively family resort. It is French-speaking, has a bigger year-round population (Ollon had 8,504 residents in 2024, Gryon 1,586) and is busier with school life and day visitors from the Lake Geneva region. For French-speaking buyers, Rougemont and Château-d'Œx are also worth considering. They offer Vaud tax and language within 10 to 20 minutes of Gstaad.
What we see on the ground
The buyers who hesitate between Gstaad and Villars usually have a clear reason for each. Villars is about school years and a manageable budget. Gstaad is about the long term: a family house that will still be the place everyone meets in twenty years. When budget is not the deciding factor, the choice tends to come down to which community the family wants to be part of.
Two practical points come up again and again. First, in both villages, check a property's second-home status and its Lex Koller eligibility before discussing price. Second, buyers drawn to Villars for the price often look at the Vaud side of the Saanenland too. Rougemont and Château-d'Œx keep the French language and Vaud taxation, with Gstaad's ski region close by. Many of the finest Gstaad chalets change hands without being advertised, which is why we work largely off market.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gstaad more expensive than Villars?
Yes. UBS puts good-quality holiday homes at about CHF 25,200 per m² in Gstaad and CHF 10,500 per m² in Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets (Q1 2026 asking prices). Gstaad ranks first in Switzerland and Villars 19th.
Can foreigners buy property in Villars-sur-Ollon?
Yes. Villars, Chesières, Arveyes and Ecovets (commune of Ollon) and Gryon are on canton Vaud's list of places where persons abroad may buy a holiday home with a Lex Koller permit, within the cantonal quota.
Can foreigners buy property in Gstaad?
Yes. Saanen, which includes Gstaad, is a holiday-home location in canton Bern. Buyers living abroad need a permit, and the usual limits on size and quota apply.
Which is better for skiing, Gstaad or Villars?
Gstaad's region is larger, with about 200 km of slopes. Villars-Gryon-Les Diablerets has over 130 km and sits higher, at around 1,250 m. Glacier 3000 lies between the two and needs its own ticket.
Which schools are in Villars?
Aiglon College (founded 1949, ages 6 to 18) in Chesières and Collège Beau Soleil (founded 1910, ages 11 to 18) in Villars. Both are international boarding schools.
Is property tax lower in Bern or Vaud?
The transfer tax is lower in Bern (1.8%) than in Vaud (2.2% plus up to 1.1% communal). Income and wealth taxes depend on your situation, so take Swiss tax advice.
How far is Villars from Gstaad?
They are neighbours across the Col du Pillon, linked through Gsteig and Les Diablerets. Driving times vary with the season, as some mountain roads close in winter.
Also searched as: Gstaad or Villars for a second home · Villars-sur-Ollon property prices · chalet à vendre Villars-sur-Ollon · acheter un chalet à Villars ou Gstaad · Chalet kaufen Villars · Ferienwohnung Villars Ausländer
Sources
- UBS Chief Investment Office: Swiss Alpine Property Focus 2026 (3 June 2026)
- Canton of Vaud: places where holiday homes may be sold to persons abroad
- Canton of Vaud: allocation and use of the 2025 quota, as at 18 September 2026
- Federal Council: housing inventory and second-home shares, 31 March 2026
- Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE): second-home share by commune
- Canton of Vaud: property transfer duties
- Canton of Bern Tax Administration: Handänderungssteuer
- Federal Tax Administration: lump-sum taxation by canton, tax period 2025
- Gstaad Saanenland Tourism: skiing and snowboarding
- Alpes Vaudoises: ski areas and Bex–Villars–Bretaye train
- Gstaad Saanenland Tourism: getting there
- Aiglon College and Collège Beau Soleil
This comparison uses published data from federal and cantonal authorities, UBS and the resorts. It is not legal or tax advice. Last checked 6 November 2026.
For a confidential conversation about a second home in Gstaad, the Saanenland or the Vaud side of the valley, contact The Gstaad Collection.