Cost of Living Comparison Between Kriens and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Kriens and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,522 per month in Kriens vs $3,595 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,399 per month in Kriens vs $5,762 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,276 per month in Kriens vs $7,930 in Lausanne, rent included.

Kriens is about 2% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kriens and Lausanne sit above the global median – Kriens by 162%, Lausanne by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.38 CHF 24.12

$32.90 CHF 26.12

-7.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$156 CHF 124

$147 CHF 117

6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.32 CHF 15.34

$19.29 CHF 15.32

0.16%

Cappuccino

$6.92 CHF 5.50

$5.98 CHF 4.75

15.72%

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

$5.76 CHF 4.57

$5.33 CHF 4.23

8.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CHF 4.04

$4.95 CHF 3.93

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.87 CHF 7.84

$9.60 CHF 7.62

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CHF 5.78

$8.72 CHF 6.93

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$2.18 CHF 1.73

1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 CHF 2.97

$4.13 CHF 3.28

-9.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.15 CHF 4.09

$4.30 CHF 3.41

19.77%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.28

$7.03 CHF 5.58

12.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.18 CHF 23.16

$26.28 CHF 20.87

11.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.71 CHF 28.35

$28.86 CHF 22.91

23.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.01 CHF 34.94

$51.6 CHF 41.00

-14.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 2.94

$3.62 CHF 2.87

2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.63

$2.10 CHF 1.67

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.17

$2.95 CHF 2.34

-7.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.81 CHF 5.41

$6.67 CHF 5.29

2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.79

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.43 CHF 1.93

3.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CHF 2.10

$2.54 CHF 2.01

4.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.23

$1.47 CHF 1.17

5.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 CHF 8.47

$11.16 CHF 8.86

-4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 CHF 8.55

$16.23 CHF 12.88

-33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CHF 1.95

$2.11 CHF 1.67

16.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.51

$3.11 CHF 2.47

1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.86 CHF 3.06

$4.92 CHF 3.90

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 78.6

$94.3 CHF 74.8

4.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 CHF 6.41

$7.89 CHF 6.26

2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.38

$3.28 CHF 2.61

29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.3 CHF 67.7

$67.0 CHF 53.2

27.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.74

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-2.67%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.0K

$40.4K CHF 32.1K

-0.09%

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

$42.4K CHF 33.6K

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

1.33%

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

$298 CHF 236

$325 CHF 258

-8.48%

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

$53.1 CHF 42.13

$50.8 CHF 40.33

4.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 46.17

$57.8 CHF 45.86

0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.2 CHF 68.5

$78.6 CHF 62.4

9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.52 CHF 37.73

Cinema Ticket

$22.66 CHF 17.99

$26.56 CHF 21.09

-14.68%

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

$2,545 CHF 2,020

$2,833 CHF 2,249

-10.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.2K CHF 27.1K

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 86.5

$108 CHF 85.5

1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 CHF 43.02

$70.5 CHF 56.0

-23.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 121

$148 CHF 118

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 147

$184 CHF 146

0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 CHF 1,342

$1,837 CHF 1,459

-8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 CHF 1,149

$1,445 CHF 1,147

0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,868 CHF 2,277

$3,615 CHF 2,870

-20.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 CHF 1,978

$2,906 CHF 2,307

-14.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K CHF 12.1K

$19.8K CHF 15.7K

-23.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

-10.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,240 CHF 5,748

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 Kriens: June 9, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,690 in Kriens versus $1,837 in Lausanne. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $156 in Kriens versus $147 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $667 vs $652 – making Lausanne the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kriens vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne costs about 2% more than Kriens, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,284 per month in Kriens and $5,392 in Lausanne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kriens, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,545 per month in Kriens and $2,833 in Lausanne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Lausanne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,522 in Kriens and $3,595 in Lausanne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kriens costs $3,522 versus $3,595 in Lausanne. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kriens. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.