Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Schaffhausen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Schaffhausen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,497 in Lausanne versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,694 in Lausanne versus $4,931 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,890 in Lausanne versus $6,712 in Schaffhausen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 11% more expensive than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 161% above, Schaffhausen 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$33.20 CHF 26.03

$31.31 CHF 24.55

6.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 116

$125 CHF 98.1

18.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.38 CHF 15.19

$15.86 CHF 12.43

22.19%

Cappuccino

$5.99 CHF 4.69

$5.43 CHF 4.26

10.31%

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

$5.58 CHF 4.38

$5.42 CHF 4.25

2.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 CHF 3.79

$4.42 CHF 3.47

9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.03 CHF 7.87

$8.20 CHF 6.43

22.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.43 CHF 6.61

$7.59 CHF 5.95

11.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.70

$1.90 CHF 1.49

14.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 CHF 3.22

$3.79 CHF 2.97

8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.49

$3.55 CHF 2.79

25.35%

Eggs

$7.27 CHF 5.70

$7.66 CHF 6.01

-5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.33 CHF 20.64

$29.66 CHF 23.25

-11.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.92 CHF 22.67

$35.28 CHF 27.66

-18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.0 CHF 40.77

$51.8 CHF 40.59

0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$3.77 CHF 2.95

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.65

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.26

$2.87 CHF 2.25

0.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.68 CHF 5.23

$6.02 CHF 4.72

10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CHF 2.00

$2.46 CHF 1.93

3.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.84

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-3.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.04

$2.67 CHF 2.10

-2.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CHF 1.09

$1.28 CHF 1.01

8.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.72

$11.29 CHF 8.85

-1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CHF 12.36

$13.90 CHF 10.90

13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 CHF 1.61

$1.36 CHF 1.07

50.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CHF 2.49

$2.75 CHF 2.15

15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 CHF 3.70

$3.79 CHF 2.97

24.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 CHF 76.3

$85.1 CHF 66.7

14.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.13

$10.08 CHF 7.91

-22.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.67

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-17.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.8 CHF 53.1

$62.3 CHF 48.83

8.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$2.15 CHF 1.69

4.19%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

-0.23%

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

$41.6K CHF 32.6K

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

-2.08%

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

$330 CHF 259

$242 CHF 190

36.18%

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

$49.88 CHF 39.11

$28.69 CHF 22.49

73.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 CHF 45.44

$43.53 CHF 34.13

33.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 CHF 59.7

$109 CHF 85.7

-30.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.53 CHF 37.26

$47.51 CHF 37.25

0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$26.14 CHF 20.50

$22.50 CHF 17.64

16.18%

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

$2,812 CHF 2,205

$3,325 CHF 2,607

-15.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.1K

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

-20.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 86.2

$112 CHF 87.9

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 CHF 54.0

$68.3 CHF 53.5

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$130 CHF 102

15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 147

$158 CHF 124

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 CHF 1,453

$1,214 CHF 952

52.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CHF 1,173

$1,221 CHF 957

22.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,576 CHF 2,803

$2,754 CHF 2,159

29.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 CHF 2,287

$2,163 CHF 1,696

34.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.0K CHF 15.7K

$8,567 CHF 6,717

133.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.3K CHF 12.0K

$6,910 CHF 5,417

121.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,994 CHF 6,267

$9,437 CHF 7,398

-15.29%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,853 in Lausanne and $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 18% 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 $125 in Schaffhausen. Groceries flip the comparison at $653 vs $675, 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Schaffhausen differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($3,497 vs $3,151 including rent). Schaffhausen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Schaffhausen earns 18% less. 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: $1,853 in Lausanne versus $1,214 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Schaffhausen – a meal for two runs $125 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,497 per month in Lausanne versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.