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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Lausanne costs about 2% more than Kriens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.90 CHF 26.12

$30.38 CHF 24.12

8.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 117

$156 CHF 124

-5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.29 CHF 15.32

$19.32 CHF 15.34

-0.16%

Cappuccino

$5.98 CHF 4.75

$6.92 CHF 5.50

-13.58%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.23

$5.76 CHF 4.57

-7.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 CHF 3.93

$5.09 CHF 4.04

-2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.60 CHF 7.62

$9.87 CHF 7.84

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.72 CHF 6.93

$7.29 CHF 5.78

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 CHF 3.28

$3.74 CHF 2.97

10.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CHF 3.41

$5.15 CHF 4.09

-16.50%

Eggs

$7.03 CHF 5.58

$7.91 CHF 6.28

-11.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 20.87

$29.18 CHF 23.16

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.86 CHF 22.91

$35.71 CHF 28.35

-19.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.6 CHF 41.00

$44.01 CHF 34.94

17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.87

$3.70 CHF 2.94

-2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.67

$2.05 CHF 1.63

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.34

$2.74 CHF 2.17

7.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 CHF 5.29

$6.81 CHF 5.41

-2.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.00

$2.25 CHF 1.79

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.93

$2.51 CHF 1.99

-3.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$2.65 CHF 2.10

-4.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CHF 1.17

$1.55 CHF 1.23

-5.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 8.86

$10.66 CHF 8.47

4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 CHF 12.88

$10.77 CHF 8.55

50.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$2.45 CHF 1.95

-13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.47

$3.16 CHF 2.51

-1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 CHF 3.90

$3.86 CHF 3.06

27.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 CHF 74.8

$98.9 CHF 78.6

-4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.26

$8.08 CHF 6.41

-2.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 CHF 2.61

$4.25 CHF 3.38

-22.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.0 CHF 53.2

$85.3 CHF 67.7

-21.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$2.19 CHF 1.74

2.74%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.1K

$40.3K CHF 32.0K

0.10%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$42.4K CHF 33.6K

-1.31%

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

$325 CHF 258

$298 CHF 236

9.27%

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

$50.8 CHF 40.33

$53.1 CHF 42.13

-4.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.86

$58.2 CHF 46.17

-0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 62.4

$86.2 CHF 68.5

-8.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.52 CHF 37.73

Cinema Ticket

$26.56 CHF 21.09

$22.66 CHF 17.99

17.21%

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

$2,833 CHF 2,249

$2,545 CHF 2,020

11.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

$34.2K CHF 27.1K

-1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 85.5

$109 CHF 86.5

-1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 CHF 56.0

$54.2 CHF 43.02

30.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 118

$153 CHF 121

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 146

$185 CHF 147

-0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 CHF 1,459

$1,690 CHF 1,342

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 CHF 1,147

$1,447 CHF 1,149

-0.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,615 CHF 2,870

$2,868 CHF 2,277

26.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,906 CHF 2,307

$2,492 CHF 1,978

16.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.8K CHF 15.7K

$15.2K CHF 12.1K

29.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

12.20%

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 Lausanne: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kriens: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,837 in Lausanne versus $1,690 in Kriens. 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 $147 in Lausanne versus $156 in Kriens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $652 vs $667 – 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

Lausanne vs Kriens: 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 $5,392 per month in Lausanne and $5,284 in Kriens. 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 $2,833 per month in Lausanne and $2,545 in Kriens. 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 $3,595 in Lausanne and $3,522 in Kriens. 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.