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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Lausanne costs about 14% more than Kriens, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.97

$30.36 CHF 24.95

0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.2

$108 CHF 88.7

11.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.48

$18.41 CHF 15.13

2.28%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.93

$6.12 CHF 5.03

-1.96%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.14

$5.28 CHF 4.34

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.52

$5.02 CHF 4.13

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.58

$6.04 CHF 4.96

72.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.09

$7.31 CHF 6.01

34.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$2.18 CHF 1.79

3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.20

$3.84 CHF 3.15

1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.77

$2.72 CHF 2.24

23.90%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.79

$7.78 CHF 6.39

-9.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.76

$27.09 CHF 22.26

-6.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.36

$31.48 CHF 25.87

-9.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.32

$41.93 CHF 34.46

-6.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.99

$2.96 CHF 2.44

22.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.76

$1.83 CHF 1.51

16.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.05

$2.53 CHF 2.08

-1.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.85

$5.40 CHF 4.44

-13.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.48

$1.77 CHF 1.45

1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.61

$2.01 CHF 1.65

-2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.67

$2.24 CHF 1.84

-8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.41

$1.40 CHF 1.15

22.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 9.04

$11.31 CHF 9.30

-2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.41

$10.61 CHF 8.72

42.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.26

$2.51 CHF 2.06

9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.63

$2.88 CHF 2.37

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.73

$4.43 CHF 3.64

2.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.3

$103 CHF 84.3

-7.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.52

$7.13 CHF 5.86

11.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.87

$6.25 CHF 5.13

-24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.5

$78.7 CHF 64.7

8.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.85

$2.27 CHF 1.86

-0.88%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.8K

$43.2K CHF 35.5K

0.74%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

-0.69%

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

$301 CHF 247

$123 CHF 101

144.61%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.48

$40.33 CHF 33.14

-5.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.45

$58.5 CHF 48.07

-13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.2

$91.3 CHF 75.0

-19.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 39.83

$47.33 CHF 38.90

2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.84

$22.29 CHF 18.32

8.30%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,386

$3,235 CHF 2,659

-10.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.0K

$24.6K CHF 20.2K

53.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 120

$91.2 CHF 74.9

60.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.1

$69.3 CHF 57.0

12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 115

$109 CHF 89.9

28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 182

$172 CHF 142

28.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,866

$1,712 CHF 1,407

32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,482

$1,482 CHF 1,218

21.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,535

$2,941 CHF 2,417

46.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,706

$2,472 CHF 2,032

33.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

13.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.6K

$12.6K CHF 10.4K

12.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,749

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.9

2.63%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kriens: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,271 in Lausanne versus $1,712 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 $121 in Lausanne versus $108 in Kriens. Groceries tell a different story – $592 in Lausanne vs $604 in Kriens – 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

Lausanne vs Kriens: 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 $5,648 per month in Lausanne and $4,976 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 $2,904 per month in Lausanne and $3,235 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 $3,765 in Lausanne and $3,317 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 $3,317 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.