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: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $3,522 in Riehen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $5,312 in Riehen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $7,102 in Riehen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 3% more expensive than in Riehen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Riehen 164% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.18

$30.28 CHF 24.44

7.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 119

$143 CHF 115

3.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.37

$18.43 CHF 14.87

3.36%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.76

$6.12 CHF 4.94

-3.59%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.37

$5.34 CHF 4.31

1.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.97

$4.96 CHF 4.01

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.16

$8.36 CHF 6.74

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.14

$7.58 CHF 6.11

16.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.23 CHF 1.80

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.30

$3.47 CHF 2.80

17.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.53

$4.18 CHF 3.37

4.55%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.95

$7.37 CHF 5.94

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.26

$28.47 CHF 22.97

-7.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.06

$32.98 CHF 26.61

-13.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 42.90

$48.25 CHF 38.93

10.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.06

$3.74 CHF 3.01

1.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.73

$2.29 CHF 1.85

-6.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.33

$2.94 CHF 2.38

-1.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.34

$6.38 CHF 5.15

3.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.35 CHF 1.90

2.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$2.50 CHF 2.02

1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.13

$1.37 CHF 1.10

2.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.90

$11.16 CHF 9.00

-1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.42

$12.91 CHF 10.41

19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.69

$2.44 CHF 1.97

-13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.64

$3.34 CHF 2.70

-2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.90

$3.82 CHF 3.08

26.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.5

$99.8 CHF 80.6

-3.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.19

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.76

$4.30 CHF 3.47

-20.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.4

$79.0 CHF 63.8

-16.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.17 CHF 1.75

0.46%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$40.9K CHF 33.0K

-3.24%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$42.0K CHF 33.9K

-3.19%

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

$331 CHF 267

$260 CHF 210

27.07%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.36

$49.27 CHF 39.75

1.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.59

$58.7 CHF 47.39

-1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.3

$87.2 CHF 70.4

-10.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.10

$25.80 CHF 20.82

87.83%

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.26

$22.94 CHF 18.51

14.86%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,294

$2,889 CHF 2,331

-1.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

-0.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 88.8

$136 CHF 110

-19.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 55.8

$67.2 CHF 54.3

2.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$146 CHF 118

4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 148

$190 CHF 153

-3.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,480

$1,701 CHF 1,372

7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,191

$1,440 CHF 1,162

2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,948

$2,866 CHF 2,312

27.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,404

$2,496 CHF 2,014

19.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

32.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$12.2K CHF 9,875

16.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,254

$8,551 CHF 6,900

-23.85%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Riehen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,701 in Riehen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in Lausanne vs $143 in Riehen. Groceries flip the comparison at $655 vs $658, with Lausanne 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 3% in total monthly costs ($3,619 vs $3,522 including rent). Riehen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% 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: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,701 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 $143 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,619 per month in Lausanne versus $3,522 in Riehen – a 3% 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 3% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.