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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,594 per month in Kriens vs $3,604 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,500 per month in Kriens vs $5,688 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,405 per month in Kriens vs $7,772 in Lausanne, rent included.

Kriens and Lausanne have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Kriens and Lausanne sit above the global median – Kriens by 170%, Lausanne by 171%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.70 CHF 24.77

$32.78 CHF 26.46

-6.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 124

$146 CHF 118

5.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.96 CHF 15.30

$18.83 CHF 15.19

0.69%

Cappuccino

$6.82 CHF 5.50

$6.09 CHF 4.92

11.99%

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

$5.53 CHF 4.47

$5.33 CHF 4.30

3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 CHF 4.16

$4.69 CHF 3.79

10.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.01 CHF 8.07

$9.74 CHF 7.86

2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 CHF 5.99

$8.36 CHF 6.75

-11.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$2.16 CHF 1.74

0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.13

$4.05 CHF 3.27

-4.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 CHF 4.14

$4.52 CHF 3.65

13.50%

Eggs

$7.95 CHF 6.41

$7.02 CHF 5.66

13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.60 CHF 23.08

$26.66 CHF 21.52

7.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.32 CHF 29.31

$28.77 CHF 23.22

26.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.74 CHF 35.30

$52.7 CHF 42.55

-17.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.94

$3.79 CHF 3.06

-3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.27

$2.81 CHF 2.27

0.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.06 CHF 5.70

$6.44 CHF 5.20

9.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.86

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-4.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.97

$2.40 CHF 1.94

1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$2.52 CHF 2.04

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.25

$1.39 CHF 1.12

11.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 CHF 8.55

$11.22 CHF 9.05

-5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 CHF 8.27

$15.40 CHF 12.43

-33.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.03 CHF 1.64

19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.51

$3.28 CHF 2.65

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$4.91 CHF 3.96

-21.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 81.1

$94.9 CHF 76.6

5.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 CHF 6.52

$7.76 CHF 6.26

3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.38

$3.41 CHF 2.75

22.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 71.0

$66.8 CHF 53.9

31.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.16 CHF 1.74

2.78%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-2.34%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

1.68%

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

$296 CHF 239

$321 CHF 259

-7.72%

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

$53.4 CHF 43.12

$51.0 CHF 41.17

4.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 47.96

$59.6 CHF 48.06

-0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 CHF 71.2

$77.3 CHF 62.4

14.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.41 CHF 35.03

$47.48 CHF 38.32

-8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$23.04 CHF 18.59

$26.09 CHF 21.05

-11.69%

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

$2,577 CHF 2,080

$2,837 CHF 2,289

-9.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

-0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 88.3

$107 CHF 86.5

2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 43.37

$70.8 CHF 57.1

-24.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 126

$149 CHF 120

5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 150

$183 CHF 148

1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 CHF 1,360

$1,822 CHF 1,470

-7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 CHF 1,190

$1,469 CHF 1,185

0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 CHF 2,247

$3,656 CHF 2,950

-23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 CHF 2,004

$2,968 CHF 2,395

-16.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

-20.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.6K

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

-4.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,703 CHF 5,409

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,685 in Kriens versus $1,822 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 $154 in Kriens versus $146 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $668 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,392 per month in Kriens and $5,406 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Lausanne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $2,577 per month in Kriens and $2,837 in Lausanne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,594 in Kriens and $3,604 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 $3,594 versus $3,604 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.