Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,765 in Lausanne versus $3,456 in Meilen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,871 in Lausanne versus $5,967 in Meilen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,978 in Lausanne versus $8,477 in Meilen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Meilen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 175% above, Meilen 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 25.08

$30.64 CHF 25.29

-0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.6

$122 CHF 100

-0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.54

$16.67 CHF 13.76

12.96%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.95

$6.26 CHF 5.17

-4.15%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$5.55 CHF 4.58

-9.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.53

$5.04 CHF 4.16

-15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.61

$8.43 CHF 6.96

23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.12

$8.54 CHF 7.05

15.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.87

$2.22 CHF 1.84

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.21

$3.54 CHF 2.92

9.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.78

$4.04 CHF 3.33

-16.58%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.82

$7.97 CHF 6.57

-11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.85

$27.40 CHF 22.62

-7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.46

$26.64 CHF 21.99

6.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$41.75 CHF 34.46

-5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 3.00

$3.66 CHF 3.02

-0.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$2.08 CHF 1.71

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.06

$2.67 CHF 2.20

-6.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.87

$4.86 CHF 4.01

-3.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.49

$2.10 CHF 1.73

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.62

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-11.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.68

$2.38 CHF 1.96

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.41

$1.29 CHF 1.06

32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 9.08

$11.10 CHF 9.16

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.46

$13.39 CHF 11.05

12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.27

$2.21 CHF 1.82

24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.64

$2.84 CHF 2.34

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.74

$4.59 CHF 3.79

-1.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.7

$102 CHF 84.2

-6.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.55

$7.97 CHF 6.58

-0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.89

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.8

$88.0 CHF 72.7

-2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.19 CHF 1.81

2.74%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

9.42%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

$40.5K CHF 33.5K

-2.81%

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

$301 CHF 248

$240 CHF 198

25.47%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.62

$39.33 CHF 32.46

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.63

$66.0 CHF 54.5

-23.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.4

$92.6 CHF 76.4

-20.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 40.01

$46.24 CHF 38.17

4.82%

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.93

$22.49 CHF 18.56

7.34%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,397

$2,882 CHF 2,379

0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

$44.1K CHF 36.4K

-14.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 121

$140 CHF 115

4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.3

$60.3 CHF 49.80

29.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 116

$150 CHF 124

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 183

$173 CHF 143

28.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,875

$1,772 CHF 1,462

28.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,488

$1,493 CHF 1,232

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,551

$2,847 CHF 2,350

51.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,718

$4,086 CHF 3,373

-19.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

13.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

15.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,774

$8,471 CHF 6,992

-17.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.72

13.37%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for Meilen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,271 in Lausanne and $1,772 in Meilen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Lausanne vs $122 in Meilen. Groceries flip the comparison at $592 vs $591, with Meilen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Meilen differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,765 vs $3,456 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Meilen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,271 in Lausanne versus $1,772 in Meilen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Meilen – a meal for two runs $122 versus $121 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,765 per month in Lausanne versus $3,456 in Meilen – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lausanne and Meilen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meilen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.