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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,317 per month in Kriens vs $3,765 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,030 per month in Kriens vs $5,871 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,742 per month in Kriens vs $7,978 in Lausanne, rent included.

Kriens is about 12% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kriens and Lausanne sit above the global median – Kriens by 143%, Lausanne by 175%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.36 CHF 24.95

$30.39 CHF 24.97

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 88.7

$121 CHF 99.2

-10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.41 CHF 15.13

$18.83 CHF 15.48

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 5.03

$6.00 CHF 4.93

2.00%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.34

$5.04 CHF 4.14

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 CHF 4.13

$4.28 CHF 3.52

17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CHF 4.96

$10.44 CHF 8.58

-42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 6.01

$9.84 CHF 8.09

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$2.26 CHF 1.86

-3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.15

$3.89 CHF 3.20

-1.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CHF 2.24

$3.37 CHF 2.77

-19.29%

Eggs

$7.78 CHF 6.39

$7.05 CHF 5.79

10.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.09 CHF 22.26

$25.26 CHF 20.76

7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.48 CHF 25.87

$28.42 CHF 23.36

10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.93 CHF 34.46

$39.33 CHF 32.32

6.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.44

$3.64 CHF 2.99

-18.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 CHF 1.51

$2.14 CHF 1.76

-14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.08

$2.50 CHF 2.05

1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 CHF 4.44

$4.69 CHF 3.85

15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.45

$1.80 CHF 1.48

-1.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.65

$1.96 CHF 1.61

2.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.84

$2.04 CHF 1.67

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.15

$1.71 CHF 1.41

-18.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.31 CHF 9.30

$11.00 CHF 9.04

2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 CHF 8.72

$15.10 CHF 12.41

-29.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CHF 2.06

$2.75 CHF 2.26

-8.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 CHF 2.37

$3.20 CHF 2.63

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.64

$4.54 CHF 3.73

-2.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 84.3

$95.3 CHF 78.3

7.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.13 CHF 5.86

$7.93 CHF 6.52

-10.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$6.25 CHF 5.13

$4.71 CHF 3.87

32.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.7 CHF 64.7

$85.7 CHF 70.5

-8.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.86

$2.25 CHF 1.85

0.89%

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

$43.2K CHF 35.5K

$43.5K CHF 35.8K

-0.73%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

0.69%

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

$123 CHF 101

$301 CHF 247

-59.12%

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

$40.33 CHF 33.14

$38.31 CHF 31.48

5.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 48.07

$50.4 CHF 41.45

15.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 CHF 75.0

$73.2 CHF 60.2

24.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.33 CHF 38.90

$48.47 CHF 39.83

-2.35%

Cinema Ticket

$22.29 CHF 18.32

$24.14 CHF 19.84

-7.66%

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

$3,235 CHF 2,659

$2,904 CHF 2,386

11.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CHF 20.2K

$37.8K CHF 31.0K

-34.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 CHF 74.9

$147 CHF 120

-37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.3 CHF 57.0

$78.0 CHF 64.1

-11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CHF 89.9

$140 CHF 115

-22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 142

$222 CHF 182

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 CHF 1,407

$2,271 CHF 1,866

-24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,218

$1,803 CHF 1,482

-17.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,941 CHF 2,417

$4,302 CHF 3,535

-31.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,472 CHF 2,032

$3,292 CHF 2,706

-24.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

-11.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

$14.2K CHF 11.6K

-11.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,749

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

1.95

-2.56%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kriens: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,712 in Kriens versus $2,271 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 $108 in Kriens versus $121 in Lausanne. Groceries tell a different story – $604 in Kriens vs $592 in Lausanne – so Lausanne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 14% more than Kriens, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,976 per month in Kriens and $5,648 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 $3,235 per month in Kriens and $2,904 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 $3,317 in Kriens and $3,765 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 $3,317 versus $3,765 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.