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: $3,900 in Lausanne versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,943 in Lausanne versus $5,139 in Schaffhausen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,986 in Lausanne versus $7,126 in Schaffhausen.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 24% more expensive than in Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 183% above, Schaffhausen 129% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.85 CHF 25.18

$31.20 CHF 25.46

-1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 CHF 97.9

$121 CHF 99.0

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.94 CHF 15.45

$18.87 CHF 15.40

0.37%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.07

$5.75 CHF 4.69

8.00%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.30

$5.47 CHF 4.47

-3.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$4.99 CHF 4.07

-13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.68 CHF 8.72

$8.73 CHF 7.13

22.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 CHF 8.15

$7.46 CHF 6.09

33.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.21 CHF 1.81

1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 CHF 3.32

$4.15 CHF 3.38

-1.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-23.85%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.82

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-9.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.97 CHF 20.38

$28.35 CHF 23.14

-11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 23.25

$32.11 CHF 26.20

-11.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.00 CHF 32.65

$43.79 CHF 35.74

-8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.77

$2.19 CHF 1.79

-0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.14

$3.17 CHF 2.59

-17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.88

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.48

$2.52 CHF 2.05

-28.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CHF 1.62

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-11.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$2.46 CHF 2.00

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.39

$1.25 CHF 1.02

36.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.90

$11.23 CHF 9.17

-2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.42

$13.72 CHF 11.20

10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$3.04 CHF 2.48

-9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.72

$3.97 CHF 3.24

-16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.72

$3.95 CHF 3.22

15.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 CHF 77.8

$99.4 CHF 81.1

-4.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 CHF 6.36

$6.26 CHF 5.11

24.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.85

$3.81 CHF 3.11

23.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$61.5 CHF 50.2

39.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.22 CHF 1.81

2.25%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-1.23%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-1.84%

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

$295 CHF 240

$228 CHF 186

29.46%

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

$37.56 CHF 30.65

$31.99 CHF 26.11

17.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CHF 41.78

$64.0 CHF 52.2

-19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 CHF 59.2

$112 CHF 91.1

-35.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 CHF 41.15

$46.98 CHF 38.34

7.32%

Cinema Ticket

$24.31 CHF 19.84

$23.97 CHF 19.56

1.42%

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

$3,018 CHF 2,463

$3,228 CHF 2,634

-6.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K CHF 30.3K

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

11.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 118

$170 CHF 138

-14.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.1 CHF 63.8

$54.9 CHF 44.83

42.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$193 CHF 157

-24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$217 CHF 177

$157 CHF 128

38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,861

$1,362 CHF 1,112

67.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CHF 1,508

$1,200 CHF 980

53.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,387 CHF 3,580

$2,710 CHF 2,212

61.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,275 CHF 2,672

$2,411 CHF 1,967

35.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

$8,369 CHF 6,830

124.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

$8,438 CHF 6,886

71.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,014 CHF 5,724

$7,296 CHF 5,954

-3.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

2.48

-21.37%

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Lausanne and $1,362 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $120 in Lausanne vs $121 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $651 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Schaffhausen differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($3,900 vs $3,151 including rent). Schaffhausen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Schaffhausen. 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: $2,280 in Lausanne versus $1,362 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 $121 versus $120 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,900 per month in Lausanne versus $3,151 in Schaffhausen – a 24% 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 24% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.