Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Yens Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Yens

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,619 in Lausanne versus $3,459 in Yens.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,781 in Lausanne versus $5,362 in Yens.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,944 in Lausanne versus $7,264 in Yens.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 5% more expensive than in Yens, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 171% above, Yens 159% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.23

$30.31 CHF 24.51

7.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 119

$147 CHF 119

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.40

$18.91 CHF 15.29

0.74%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.77

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$5.46 CHF 4.41

-0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.97

$4.71 CHF 3.80

4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.18

$9.65 CHF 7.80

4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.16

$7.49 CHF 6.05

18.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.22 CHF 1.80

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.79 CHF 3.06

7.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.53

$4.45 CHF 3.60

-1.80%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.96

$7.42 CHF 6.00

-0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.31

$26.28 CHF 21.24

0.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.11

$28.80 CHF 23.29

-0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 42.99

$44.50 CHF 35.98

19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.07

$3.62 CHF 2.93

4.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.08 CHF 1.68

3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.84 CHF 2.30

1.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.35

$6.61 CHF 5.34

0.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.50 CHF 2.02

-2.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.36 CHF 1.91

2.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$2.51 CHF 2.03

0.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.41 CHF 1.14

-0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.92

$11.07 CHF 8.95

-0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.44

$13.74 CHF 11.11

12.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.69

$2.07 CHF 1.68

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.64

$3.10 CHF 2.50

5.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.90

$3.96 CHF 3.20

21.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.7

$99.0 CHF 80.0

-2.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.20

$7.73 CHF 6.25

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$3.41 CHF 2.76

0.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.5

$67.2 CHF 54.4

-1.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-1.36%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

-1.73%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$40.7K CHF 32.9K

-0.03%

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

$331 CHF 267

$301 CHF 244

9.74%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.44

$51.1 CHF 41.31

-2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.68

$57.5 CHF 46.47

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.4

$88.9 CHF 71.9

-11.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.18

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.31

$22.64 CHF 18.30

16.39%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,298

$2,534 CHF 2,049

12.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

3.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.0

$107 CHF 86.3

3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 55.9

$68.6 CHF 55.5

0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$149 CHF 121

2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$183 CHF 148

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,483

$1,694 CHF 1,370

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,193

$1,448 CHF 1,170

1.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,954

$2,801 CHF 2,265

30.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,408

$2,436 CHF 1,970

22.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

$17.1K CHF 13.8K

8.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$10.8K CHF 8,726

31.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,265

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 Yens: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Lausanne and $1,694 in Yens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $148 in Lausanne vs $147 in Yens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $655 vs $622 per month, with Yens 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 Yens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Yens differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($3,619 vs $3,459 including rent). Yens is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,429 in Lausanne and $5,189 in Yens to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,694 in Yens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Yens – a meal for two runs $147 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 $3,459 in Yens – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Yens 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 Yens 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 Yens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.