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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $7,966 per month in Lausanne vs $7,356 in Kriens, rent included.

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

Both Lausanne and Kriens sit above the global median – Lausanne by 161%, Kriens by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.00 CHF 26.10

$31.30 CHF 24.76

5.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 116

$155 CHF 123

-5.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.28 CHF 15.25

$18.93 CHF 14.97

1.85%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.82

$6.72 CHF 5.31

-9.37%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.21

$5.46 CHF 4.32

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CHF 3.80

$5.24 CHF 4.14

-8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.02 CHF 7.93

$9.61 CHF 7.60

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.55 CHF 6.76

$7.48 CHF 5.92

14.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.14 CHF 1.70

6.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 CHF 3.25

$3.71 CHF 2.94

10.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 CHF 3.53

$5.02 CHF 3.97

-11.16%

Eggs

$7.15 CHF 5.66

$7.94 CHF 6.28

-9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.38 CHF 20.86

$28.31 CHF 22.40

-6.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.91 CHF 22.87

$36.26 CHF 28.69

-20.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.57

$44.51 CHF 35.21

18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.89

$3.69 CHF 2.92

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.07 CHF 1.63

3.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.32

$2.83 CHF 2.24

3.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 CHF 5.19

$6.83 CHF 5.41

-3.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.93

$2.31 CHF 1.83

5.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.08

$2.54 CHF 2.01

3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.11

$1.51 CHF 1.19

-7.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.72

$10.52 CHF 8.32

4.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 CHF 12.79

$10.74 CHF 8.50

50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$2.36 CHF 1.86

-14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$3.02 CHF 2.39

6.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.86 CHF 3.84

$3.97 CHF 3.14

22.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 CHF 75.9

$99.4 CHF 78.6

-3.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.22

$8.05 CHF 6.37

-2.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 CHF 2.62

$4.14 CHF 3.28

-19.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.9

$87.4 CHF 69.1

-24.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.14 CHF 1.69

4.21%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

$40.5K CHF 32.0K

-1.57%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

$42.6K CHF 33.7K

-4.22%

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

$324 CHF 256

$290 CHF 229

11.57%

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

$49.73 CHF 39.34

$54.2 CHF 42.88

-8.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 46.22

$60.3 CHF 47.68

-3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.4 CHF 61.3

$87.3 CHF 69.1

-11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.11 CHF 38.85

Cinema Ticket

$26.10 CHF 20.64

$22.91 CHF 18.12

13.92%

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

$2,823 CHF 2,233

$2,543 CHF 2,012

10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 27.4K

$35.0K CHF 27.7K

-0.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 85.5

$110 CHF 86.7

-1.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 CHF 55.5

$52.9 CHF 41.84

32.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 121

$155 CHF 123

-1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 148

$188 CHF 148

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CHF 1,490

$1,678 CHF 1,327

12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 CHF 1,158

$1,482 CHF 1,172

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,584 CHF 2,835

$2,829 CHF 2,238

26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 CHF 2,295

$2,471 CHF 1,954

17.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.0K CHF 15.8K

$14.1K CHF 11.1K

41.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.0K CHF 11.8K

$12.2K CHF 9,634

22.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,840 CHF 6,202

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kriens: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,884 in Lausanne versus $1,678 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 $155 in Kriens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $656 vs $666 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,246 per month in Lausanne and $5,224 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.

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 $2,823 per month in Lausanne and $2,543 in Kriens. 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 $3,498 in Lausanne and $3,483 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 $3,483 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.