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: $3,765 in Lausanne versus $3,470 in Yens.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,871 in Lausanne versus $5,210 in Yens.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,978 in Lausanne versus $6,951 in Yens.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 9% more expensive than in Yens, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 175% above, Yens 154% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.97

$28.97 CHF 23.81

4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.2

$122 CHF 100

-1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.48

$16.03 CHF 13.17

17.47%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.93

$6.10 CHF 5.01

-1.64%

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

$5.04 CHF 4.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.52

$4.11 CHF 3.38

4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.44 CHF 8.58

$9.18 CHF 7.55

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 CHF 8.09

$8.16 CHF 6.71

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$2.24 CHF 1.84

0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.20

$3.07 CHF 2.52

26.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.77

$3.18 CHF 2.62

5.97%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.79

$7.37 CHF 6.06

-4.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.26 CHF 20.76

$24.52 CHF 20.15

3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.42 CHF 23.36

$28.06 CHF 23.06

1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.33 CHF 32.32

$39.21 CHF 32.22

0.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.99

$3.60 CHF 2.96

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.76

$2.03 CHF 1.67

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.05

$2.64 CHF 2.17

-5.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 CHF 3.85

$4.53 CHF 3.72

3.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.48

$1.70 CHF 1.40

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.61

$1.99 CHF 1.64

-1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.67

$2.05 CHF 1.69

-0.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.41

$1.31 CHF 1.08

30.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.00 CHF 9.04

$11.27 CHF 9.27

-2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 12.41

$12.42 CHF 10.21

21.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.26

$2.35 CHF 1.93

17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CHF 2.63

$3.04 CHF 2.50

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.73

$4.42 CHF 3.64

2.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.3 CHF 78.3

$99.3 CHF 81.6

-4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.52

$7.86 CHF 6.46

0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.71 CHF 3.87

$4.65 CHF 3.82

1.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 70.5

$86.8 CHF 71.3

-1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.85

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-5.06%

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

$43.5K CHF 35.8K

$44.6K CHF 36.7K

-2.50%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.4K

-0.09%

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

$301 CHF 247

$283 CHF 233

6.28%

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

$38.31 CHF 31.48

$28.77 CHF 23.64

33.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CHF 41.45

$51.4 CHF 42.23

-1.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.2

$92.7 CHF 76.2

-21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.47 CHF 39.83

$45.86 CHF 37.68

5.69%

Cinema Ticket

$24.14 CHF 19.84

$24.87 CHF 20.43

-2.94%

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

$2,904 CHF 2,386

$2,953 CHF 2,427

-1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K CHF 31.0K

$31.6K CHF 26.0K

19.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 120

$145 CHF 119

1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.0 CHF 64.1

$61.9 CHF 50.9

25.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 CHF 115

$141 CHF 116

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 182

$203 CHF 167

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 CHF 1,866

$1,773 CHF 1,457

28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 CHF 1,482

$1,479 CHF 1,215

21.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 CHF 3,535

$2,925 CHF 2,404

47.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 CHF 2,706

$2,547 CHF 2,093

29.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

$16.6K CHF 13.7K

10.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.6K

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

15.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,995 CHF 5,749

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

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

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Last update for Yens: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,271 in Lausanne and $1,773 in Yens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Lausanne vs $122 in Yens. Groceries flip the comparison at $592 vs $566, with Yens 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 Yens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Yens differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,765 vs $3,470 including rent). Yens is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,648 in Lausanne and $5,205 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: $2,271 in Lausanne versus $1,773 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 $122 versus $121 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,765 per month in Lausanne versus $3,470 in Yens – a 9% 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 9% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.