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: $3,550 in Meilen versus $3,498 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,422 in Meilen versus $5,732 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,295 in Meilen versus $7,966 in Lausanne.

Living in Meilen is roughly 2% more expensive than Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 165% above, Lausanne 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.33 CHF 24.78

$33.00 CHF 26.10

-5.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$147 CHF 116

2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 14.76

$19.28 CHF 15.25

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 4.90

$6.09 CHF 4.82

1.64%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.81

$5.33 CHF 4.21

14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.19

$4.80 CHF 3.80

10.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.67

$10.02 CHF 7.93

-15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.89

$8.55 CHF 6.76

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.27 CHF 1.80

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$4.10 CHF 3.25

-20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$4.46 CHF 3.53

-7.62%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 5.95

$7.15 CHF 5.66

5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.67 CHF 23.47

$26.38 CHF 20.86

12.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.85 CHF 26.77

$28.91 CHF 22.87

17.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.86

$52.6 CHF 41.57

-4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.35

$3.66 CHF 2.89

15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.15 CHF 1.70

17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.39

$2.94 CHF 2.32

2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CHF 4.13

$6.57 CHF 5.19

-20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 1.98

$2.44 CHF 1.93

2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$2.63 CHF 2.08

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.90

$1.40 CHF 1.11

-18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.99 CHF 8.69

$11.02 CHF 8.72

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 CHF 12.31

$16.17 CHF 12.79

-3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$2.01 CHF 1.59

7.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$4.86 CHF 3.84

-17.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 77.7

$96.0 CHF 75.9

2.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$7.86 CHF 6.22

-12.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.14 CHF 3.28

$3.32 CHF 2.62

24.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 62.4

$65.6 CHF 51.9

20.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.23 CHF 1.76

0.45%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$39.9K CHF 31.5K

2.84%

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

$39.5K CHF 31.3K

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

-3.17%

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

$255 CHF 201

$324 CHF 256

-21.35%

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

$59.4 CHF 46.96

$49.73 CHF 39.34

19.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 45.51

$58.4 CHF 46.22

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 70.3

$77.4 CHF 61.3

14.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.1 CHF 51.5

$49.11 CHF 38.85

32.64%

Cinema Ticket

$27.58 CHF 21.82

$26.10 CHF 20.64

5.67%

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

$2,847 CHF 2,252

$2,823 CHF 2,233

0.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.3K CHF 31.1K

$34.6K CHF 27.4K

13.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 112

$108 CHF 85.5

30.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.46

$70.2 CHF 55.5

-10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 118

$153 CHF 121

-2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 159

$187 CHF 148

7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CHF 1,320

$1,884 CHF 1,490

-11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,141

$1,465 CHF 1,158

-1.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,880 CHF 2,278

$3,584 CHF 2,835

-19.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 CHF 1,975

$2,901 CHF 2,295

-13.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.3K

$20.0K CHF 15.8K

-28.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,399

$15.0K CHF 11.8K

-28.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,496 CHF 6,720

$7,840 CHF 6,202

8.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,669 in Meilen and $1,884 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $150 in Meilen vs $147 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $669 vs $656 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

Meilen vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen and Lausanne differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,550 vs $3,498 including rent). Lausanne is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Meilen pays 8% 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: $1,669 in Meilen versus $1,884 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lausanne – a meal for two runs $147 versus $150 in Meilen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,550 per month in Meilen versus $3,498 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 $3,000. Lausanne 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 Lausanne gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Meilen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.