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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $7,772 per month in Lausanne vs $7,405 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 171%, Kriens by 170%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.78 CHF 26.46

$30.70 CHF 24.77

6.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 118

$154 CHF 124

-4.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.19

$18.96 CHF 15.30

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.92

$6.82 CHF 5.50

-10.70%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.30

$5.53 CHF 4.47

-3.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$5.16 CHF 4.16

-9.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.74 CHF 7.86

$10.01 CHF 8.07

-2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.36 CHF 6.75

$7.42 CHF 5.99

12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.17 CHF 1.75

-0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.27

$3.88 CHF 3.13

4.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.65

$5.13 CHF 4.14

-11.89%

Eggs

$7.02 CHF 5.66

$7.95 CHF 6.41

-11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.52

$28.60 CHF 23.08

-6.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.77 CHF 23.22

$36.32 CHF 29.31

-20.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.7 CHF 42.55

$43.74 CHF 35.30

20.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$3.64 CHF 2.94

4.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.27

$2.82 CHF 2.27

-0.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 CHF 5.20

$7.06 CHF 5.70

-8.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.31 CHF 1.86

4.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$2.44 CHF 1.97

-1.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.12

$1.55 CHF 1.25

-10.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.05

$10.59 CHF 8.55

5.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 CHF 12.43

$10.25 CHF 8.27

50.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.43 CHF 1.96

-16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.65

$3.12 CHF 2.51

5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 CHF 3.96

$3.84 CHF 3.10

27.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 CHF 76.6

$101 CHF 81.1

-5.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 CHF 6.26

$8.07 CHF 6.52

-3.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.75

$4.19 CHF 3.38

-18.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.8 CHF 53.9

$88.0 CHF 71.0

-24.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-2.70%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

2.40%

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

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

-1.66%

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

$321 CHF 259

$296 CHF 239

8.36%

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

$51.0 CHF 41.17

$53.4 CHF 43.12

-4.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 CHF 48.06

$59.4 CHF 47.96

0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 CHF 62.4

$88.3 CHF 71.2

-12.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.48 CHF 38.32

$43.41 CHF 35.03

9.38%

Cinema Ticket

$26.09 CHF 21.05

$23.04 CHF 18.59

13.24%

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

$2,837 CHF 2,289

$2,577 CHF 2,080

10.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

0.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.5

$109 CHF 88.3

-1.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 CHF 57.1

$53.7 CHF 43.37

31.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$157 CHF 126

-4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$186 CHF 150

-1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CHF 1,470

$1,685 CHF 1,360

8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,185

$1,474 CHF 1,190

-0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,656 CHF 2,950

$2,784 CHF 2,247

31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,968 CHF 2,395

$2,483 CHF 2,004

19.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

26.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

$13.2K CHF 10.6K

5.16%

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 Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Last update for Kriens: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,822 in Lausanne versus $1,685 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 $146 in Lausanne versus $154 in Kriens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $652 vs $668 – 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 $5,406 per month in Lausanne and $5,392 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 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 $2,837 per month in Lausanne and $2,577 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 $3,604 in Lausanne and $3,594 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 $3,594 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.