Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,482 in Meilen versus $3,604 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,449 in Meilen versus $5,688 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,416 in Meilen versus $7,772 in Lausanne.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 3% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 162% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.45 CHF 24.58

$32.78 CHF 26.46

-7.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 117

$146 CHF 118

-0.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.82 CHF 15.19

$18.83 CHF 15.19

-0.05%

Cappuccino

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$6.09 CHF 4.92

6.08%

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

$6.03 CHF 4.86

$5.33 CHF 4.30

13.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CHF 4.15

$4.69 CHF 3.79

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.76 CHF 7.07

$9.74 CHF 7.86

-10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.99

$8.36 CHF 6.75

-11.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.16 CHF 1.74

0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.72

$4.05 CHF 3.27

-16.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 CHF 3.20

$4.52 CHF 3.65

-12.17%

Eggs

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$7.02 CHF 5.66

5.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.03 CHF 23.43

$26.66 CHF 21.52

8.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.05 CHF 26.67

$28.77 CHF 23.22

14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.7 CHF 40.94

$52.7 CHF 42.55

-3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.26

$3.79 CHF 3.06

6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.95

$2.09 CHF 1.69

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$2.81 CHF 2.27

10.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 CHF 4.01

$6.44 CHF 5.20

-22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.41 CHF 1.95

9.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.40 CHF 1.94

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$2.52 CHF 2.04

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.39 CHF 1.12

-17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 CHF 9.08

$11.22 CHF 9.05

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 CHF 10.58

$15.40 CHF 12.43

-14.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.03 CHF 1.64

8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$3.28 CHF 2.65

-30.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.25

$4.91 CHF 3.96

-17.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 79.8

$94.9 CHF 76.6

4.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 CHF 5.33

$7.76 CHF 6.26

-14.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.16 CHF 3.35

$3.41 CHF 2.75

21.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.5 CHF 64.2

$66.8 CHF 53.9

18.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.16 CHF 1.74

2.31%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-0.97%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.8K

$41.4K CHF 33.4K

-4.93%

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

$251 CHF 202

$321 CHF 259

-21.90%

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

$60.4 CHF 48.72

$51.0 CHF 41.17

18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 CHF 48.02

$59.6 CHF 48.06

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 CHF 69.8

$77.3 CHF 62.4

11.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.78 CHF 37.75

$47.48 CHF 38.32

-1.47%

Cinema Ticket

$26.94 CHF 21.74

$26.09 CHF 21.05

3.26%

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

$2,850 CHF 2,300

$2,837 CHF 2,289

0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.3K

$34.5K CHF 27.8K

16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$107 CHF 86.5

30.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 48.96

$70.8 CHF 57.1

-14.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 120

$149 CHF 120

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 CHF 162

$183 CHF 148

9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CHF 1,355

$1,822 CHF 1,470

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,205

$1,469 CHF 1,185

1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,862 CHF 2,309

$3,656 CHF 2,950

-21.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 CHF 1,996

$2,968 CHF 2,395

-16.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$18.5K CHF 14.9K

-20.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 9,986

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

-10.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,239 CHF 6,649

$6,703 CHF 5,409

22.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.5

-16.40%

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

Last update for Meilen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,679 in Meilen and $1,822 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $146 in Meilen vs $146 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $656 vs $652, 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

Meilen vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen and Lausanne differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,482 vs $3,604 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Meilen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,679 in Meilen versus $1,822 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Meilen – a meal for two runs $146 versus $146 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,482 per month in Meilen versus $3,604 in Lausanne – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen 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, Meilen and Lausanne 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 Meilen 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.