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: $3,604 in Lausanne versus $3,482 in Meilen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Lausanne versus $5,449 in Meilen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,772 in Lausanne versus $7,416 in Meilen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 3% more expensive than in Meilen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Meilen 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.78 CHF 26.46

$30.45 CHF 24.58

7.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 118

$146 CHF 117

0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.19

$18.82 CHF 15.19

0.05%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.92

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-5.73%

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

$5.33 CHF 4.30

$6.03 CHF 4.86

-11.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$5.14 CHF 4.15

-8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.74 CHF 7.86

$8.76 CHF 7.07

11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.36 CHF 6.75

$7.43 CHF 5.99

12.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 CHF 3.27

$3.38 CHF 2.72

19.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.65

$3.97 CHF 3.20

13.85%

Eggs

$7.02 CHF 5.66

$7.44 CHF 6.01

-5.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.52

$29.03 CHF 23.43

-8.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.77 CHF 23.22

$33.05 CHF 26.67

-12.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.7 CHF 42.55

$50.7 CHF 40.94

3.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$4.04 CHF 3.26

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 CHF 1.69

$2.42 CHF 1.95

-13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.27

$3.10 CHF 2.50

-9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.44 CHF 5.20

$4.97 CHF 4.01

29.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-8.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$2.34 CHF 1.89

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.12

$1.15 CHF 0.93

20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.05

$11.25 CHF 9.08

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 CHF 12.43

$13.11 CHF 10.58

17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CHF 2.65

$2.29 CHF 1.85

43.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.91 CHF 3.96

$4.03 CHF 3.25

21.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.9 CHF 76.6

$98.9 CHF 79.8

-4.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 CHF 6.26

$6.61 CHF 5.33

17.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.75

$4.16 CHF 3.35

-18.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.8 CHF 53.9

$79.5 CHF 64.2

-15.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-2.26%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

0.98%

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

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

5.19%

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

$321 CHF 259

$251 CHF 202

28.04%

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

$51.0 CHF 41.17

$60.4 CHF 48.72

-15.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 CHF 48.06

$59.5 CHF 48.02

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 CHF 62.4

$86.5 CHF 69.8

-10.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.48 CHF 38.32

$46.78 CHF 37.75

1.50%

Cinema Ticket

$26.09 CHF 21.05

$26.94 CHF 21.74

-3.16%

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

$2,837 CHF 2,289

$2,850 CHF 2,300

-0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

-13.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.5

$140 CHF 113

-23.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.8 CHF 57.1

$60.7 CHF 48.96

16.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$148 CHF 120

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$201 CHF 162

-8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 CHF 1,470

$1,679 CHF 1,355

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,185

$1,493 CHF 1,205

-1.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,656 CHF 2,950

$2,862 CHF 2,309

27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,968 CHF 2,395

$2,474 CHF 1,996

19.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

26.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

$12.4K CHF 9,986

11.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,703 CHF 5,409

$8,239 CHF 6,649

-18.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.09

19.62%

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

Last update for Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,822 in Lausanne and $1,679 in Meilen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $146 in Lausanne vs $146 in Meilen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $652 vs $656 per month, with Lausanne cheaper across the board.

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 3% in total monthly costs ($3,604 vs $3,482 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $1,822 in Lausanne versus $1,679 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 $146 versus $146 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,604 per month in Lausanne versus $3,482 in Meilen – a 3% 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 3% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.