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: $3,525 in Meilen versus $3,595 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,499 in Meilen versus $5,762 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,473 in Meilen versus $7,930 in Lausanne.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 2% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 162% above, Lausanne 167% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.08 CHF 24.67

$32.90 CHF 26.12

-5.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 115

$147 CHF 117

-1.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 14.69

$19.29 CHF 15.32

-4.10%

Cappuccino

$6.37 CHF 5.06

$5.98 CHF 4.75

6.52%

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

$5.87 CHF 4.66

$5.33 CHF 4.23

10.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.07

$4.95 CHF 3.93

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.38 CHF 6.65

$9.60 CHF 7.62

-12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 CHF 5.77

$8.72 CHF 6.93

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$2.18 CHF 1.73

5.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.61

$4.13 CHF 3.28

-20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 CHF 3.21

$4.30 CHF 3.41

-5.81%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 5.98

$7.03 CHF 5.58

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.71 CHF 23.58

$26.28 CHF 20.87

13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.41 CHF 26.52

$28.86 CHF 22.91

15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.01

$51.6 CHF 41.00

-2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.62 CHF 2.87

16.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.91

$2.10 CHF 1.67

14.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.37

$2.95 CHF 2.34

1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CHF 4.11

$6.67 CHF 5.29

-22.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-0.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$2.43 CHF 1.93

-7.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.99

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.90

$1.47 CHF 1.17

-23.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.74

$11.16 CHF 8.86

-1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CHF 12.12

$16.23 CHF 12.88

-5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.11 CHF 1.67

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CHF 1.82

$3.11 CHF 2.47

-26.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 CHF 3.04

$4.92 CHF 3.90

-22.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 76.8

$94.3 CHF 74.8

2.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.26

$7.89 CHF 6.26

-15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$3.28 CHF 2.61

25.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.5 CHF 64.7

$67.0 CHF 53.2

21.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-0.44%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.4K

$40.4K CHF 32.1K

-1.90%

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

$38.9K CHF 30.9K

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

-6.94%

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

$256 CHF 203

$325 CHF 258

-21.34%

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

$58.4 CHF 46.34

$50.8 CHF 40.33

14.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CHF 46.71

$57.8 CHF 45.86

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.5

$78.6 CHF 62.4

13.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.7 CHF 51.4

$47.52 CHF 37.73

36.15%

Cinema Ticket

$27.31 CHF 21.68

$26.56 CHF 21.09

2.82%

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

$2,795 CHF 2,219

$2,833 CHF 2,249

-1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 31.8K

$33.8K CHF 26.8K

18.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$108 CHF 85.5

30.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 CHF 48.92

$70.5 CHF 56.0

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 116

$148 CHF 118

-0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 163

$184 CHF 146

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 CHF 1,372

$1,837 CHF 1,459

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 CHF 1,165

$1,445 CHF 1,147

1.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 CHF 2,290

$3,615 CHF 2,870

-20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CHF 1,957

$2,906 CHF 2,307

-15.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$24.8K CHF 19.7K

$19.8K CHF 15.7K

25.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,462

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

-16.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,694 CHF 6,902

$7,240 CHF 5,748

20.08%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,728 in Meilen and $1,837 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $145 in Meilen vs $147 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $665 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 2% in total monthly costs ($3,525 vs $3,595 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Meilen pays 20% more on average, 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: $1,728 in Meilen versus $1,837 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 $145 versus $147 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,525 per month in Meilen versus $3,595 in Lausanne – a 2% 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 2% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.