Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Riehen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Riehen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,824 in Lausanne versus $3,556 in Riehen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,908 in Lausanne versus $5,257 in Riehen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,993 in Lausanne versus $6,959 in Riehen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 8% more expensive than in Riehen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 178% above, Riehen 159% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.49 CHF 25.61

$31.64 CHF 25.72

-0.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.7

$124 CHF 101

-3.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.27 CHF 15.67

$15.91 CHF 12.93

21.12%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$6.40 CHF 5.21

-1.25%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.30

$5.29 CHF 4.30

-0.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.32

$5.48 CHF 4.45

-25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.47 CHF 8.51

$7.35 CHF 5.97

42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.07

$6.84 CHF 5.56

45.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.86

$2.22 CHF 1.80

2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.23

$3.26 CHF 2.65

21.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.66

$3.59 CHF 2.92

-8.64%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.14

$7.53 CHF 6.12

0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.73 CHF 20.10

$25.20 CHF 20.48

-1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.61 CHF 23.26

$26.66 CHF 21.67

7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.20 CHF 32.68

$38.32 CHF 31.15

4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.99

$3.65 CHF 2.97

0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.74 CHF 1.41

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$2.64 CHF 2.15

-4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$4.70 CHF 3.82

-3.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$1.77 CHF 1.44

2.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

$2.15 CHF 1.75

-7.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CHF 1.65

$2.38 CHF 1.93

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CHF 1.46

$1.27 CHF 1.03

41.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.10

$11.41 CHF 9.27

-1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 CHF 12.75

$10.69 CHF 8.69

46.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$3.68 CHF 2.99

-26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.62

$2.42 CHF 1.97

33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$4.35 CHF 3.53

4.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 79.2

$105 CHF 85.5

-7.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.36

$10.01 CHF 8.14

-21.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$3.99 CHF 3.24

18.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.9

$75.9 CHF 61.7

16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.32 CHF 1.89

1.72%

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

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

$43.0K CHF 35.0K

3.74%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

-1.49%

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

$305 CHF 248

$355 CHF 289

-14.15%

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

$38.30 CHF 31.14

$43.00 CHF 34.96

-10.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CHF 41.91

$59.9 CHF 48.71

-13.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CHF 60.3

$95.7 CHF 77.8

-22.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.27

$47.67 CHF 38.75

6.48%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$21.42 CHF 17.41

16.57%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,476

$1,880 CHF 1,528

61.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

$37.0K CHF 30.0K

3.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$105 CHF 85.4

37.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 CHF 63.4

$59.7 CHF 48.50

30.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 114

$167 CHF 136

-15.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 182

$194 CHF 158

15.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CHF 1,901

$1,830 CHF 1,488

27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,485

$1,468 CHF 1,194

24.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,623

$3,503 CHF 2,848

27.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,696

$2,520 CHF 2,049

31.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

13.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

13.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,640

$8,943 CHF 7,271

-22.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.31

-15.58%

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

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Riehen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,339 in Lausanne and $1,830 in Riehen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $119 in Lausanne vs $124 in Riehen. Groceries flip the comparison at $598 vs $565, with Riehen 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 Riehen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Riehen differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($3,824 vs $3,556 including rent). Riehen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Riehen. 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: $2,339 in Lausanne versus $1,830 in Riehen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Riehen – a meal for two runs $124 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,824 per month in Lausanne versus $3,556 in Riehen – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Riehen 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 Riehen 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 Riehen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.