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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,483 per month in Kriens vs $3,498 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,419 per month in Kriens vs $5,732 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,356 per month in Kriens vs $7,966 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 160%, Lausanne by 161%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 24.73

$33.00 CHF 26.07

-5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$155 CHF 122

$147 CHF 116

5.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.93 CHF 14.95

$19.28 CHF 15.23

-1.82%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.31

$6.09 CHF 4.81

10.34%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.31

$5.33 CHF 4.21

2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.14

$4.80 CHF 3.79

9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.59

$10.02 CHF 7.92

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 CHF 5.91

$8.55 CHF 6.76

-12.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 CHF 2.93

$4.10 CHF 3.24

-9.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.02 CHF 3.96

$4.46 CHF 3.52

12.56%

Eggs

$7.94 CHF 6.27

$7.15 CHF 5.65

11.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.31 CHF 22.37

$26.38 CHF 20.84

7.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.26 CHF 28.65

$28.91 CHF 22.84

25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.51 CHF 35.17

$52.6 CHF 41.52

-15.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 2.92

$3.66 CHF 2.89

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.63

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-3.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.24

$2.94 CHF 2.32

-3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.83 CHF 5.40

$6.57 CHF 5.19

3.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-5.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$2.34 CHF 1.85

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.00

$2.63 CHF 2.08

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CHF 1.19

$1.40 CHF 1.11

7.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 CHF 8.31

$11.02 CHF 8.71

-4.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CHF 8.49

$16.17 CHF 12.77

-33.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CHF 1.86

$2.01 CHF 1.59

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CHF 2.39

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-6.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 CHF 3.13

$4.86 CHF 3.84

-18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 CHF 78.5

$96.0 CHF 75.8

3.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 CHF 6.36

$7.86 CHF 6.21

2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.27

$3.32 CHF 2.62

24.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 69.0

$65.6 CHF 51.8

33.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.69

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-4.04%

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

$40.5K CHF 32.0K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

1.59%

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

$42.6K CHF 33.7K

$40.8K CHF 32.2K

4.40%

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

$290 CHF 229

$324 CHF 256

-10.37%

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

$54.2 CHF 42.83

$49.73 CHF 39.29

9.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CHF 47.62

$58.4 CHF 46.16

3.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.3 CHF 69.0

$77.4 CHF 61.2

12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.11 CHF 38.80

Cinema Ticket

$22.91 CHF 18.10

$26.10 CHF 20.62

-12.22%

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

$2,543 CHF 2,009

$2,823 CHF 2,230

-9.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.0K CHF 27.6K

$34.6K CHF 27.4K

0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 86.6

$108 CHF 85.4

1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 CHF 41.79

$70.2 CHF 55.5

-24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 123

$153 CHF 121

1.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 148

$187 CHF 148

0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 CHF 1,326

$1,884 CHF 1,488

-10.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,170

$1,465 CHF 1,157

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,829 CHF 2,235

$3,584 CHF 2,831

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,471 CHF 1,952

$2,901 CHF 2,292

-14.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K CHF 11.1K

$20.0K CHF 15.8K

-29.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,622

$15.0K CHF 11.8K

-18.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,840 CHF 6,194

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,678 in Kriens versus $1,884 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 $155 in Kriens versus $147 in Lausanne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $666 vs $656 – 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 $5,224 per month in Kriens and $5,246 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 2% cheaper in Lausanne – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $2,543 per month in Kriens and $2,823 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 $3,483 in Kriens and $3,498 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 $3,483 versus $3,498 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.