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: $3,456 in Meilen versus $3,765 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,967 in Meilen versus $5,871 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,477 in Meilen versus $7,978 in Lausanne.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 8% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 153% above, Lausanne 175% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 25.29

$30.39 CHF 25.08

0.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$121 CHF 99.6

0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.67 CHF 13.76

$18.83 CHF 15.54

-11.47%

Cappuccino

$6.26 CHF 5.17

$6.00 CHF 4.95

4.33%

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

$5.55 CHF 4.58

$5.04 CHF 4.16

10.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$4.28 CHF 3.53

17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.96

$10.44 CHF 8.61

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 7.05

$9.84 CHF 8.12

-13.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.84

$2.26 CHF 1.87

-1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 CHF 2.92

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-9.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.33

$3.37 CHF 2.78

19.88%

Eggs

$7.97 CHF 6.57

$7.05 CHF 5.82

13.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.40 CHF 22.62

$25.26 CHF 20.85

8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.64 CHF 21.99

$28.42 CHF 23.46

-6.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.75 CHF 34.46

$39.33 CHF 32.46

6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 3.02

$3.64 CHF 3.00

0.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.20

$2.50 CHF 2.06

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CHF 4.01

$4.69 CHF 3.87

3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.73

$1.80 CHF 1.49

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$1.96 CHF 1.62

12.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.96

$2.04 CHF 1.68

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.06

$1.71 CHF 1.41

-24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 9.16

$11.00 CHF 9.08

0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 CHF 11.05

$15.10 CHF 12.46

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$2.75 CHF 2.27

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CHF 2.34

$3.20 CHF 2.64

-11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 CHF 3.79

$4.54 CHF 3.74

1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 84.2

$95.3 CHF 78.7

6.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.58

$7.93 CHF 6.55

0.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.91

$4.71 CHF 3.89

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 72.7

$85.7 CHF 70.8

2.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.81

$2.25 CHF 1.86

-2.67%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

$43.5K CHF 35.9K

-8.61%

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

$40.5K CHF 33.5K

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

2.89%

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

$240 CHF 198

$301 CHF 248

-20.30%

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

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$38.31 CHF 31.62

2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CHF 54.5

$50.4 CHF 41.63

30.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 CHF 76.4

$73.2 CHF 60.4

26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.24 CHF 38.17

$48.47 CHF 40.01

-4.60%

Cinema Ticket

$22.49 CHF 18.56

$24.14 CHF 19.93

-6.84%

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

$2,882 CHF 2,379

$2,904 CHF 2,397

-0.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.1K CHF 36.4K

$37.8K CHF 31.2K

16.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 115

$147 CHF 121

-4.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 CHF 49.80

$78.0 CHF 64.3

-22.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 124

$140 CHF 116

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 143

$222 CHF 183

-21.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 CHF 1,462

$2,271 CHF 1,875

-22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,232

$1,803 CHF 1,488

-17.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,847 CHF 2,350

$4,302 CHF 3,551

-33.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,086 CHF 3,373

$3,292 CHF 2,718

24.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

$18.3K CHF 15.1K

-12.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

$14.2K CHF 11.7K

-13.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,471 CHF 6,992

$6,995 CHF 5,774

21.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

1.95

-11.79%

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

Last update for Meilen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,772 in Meilen and $2,271 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Meilen vs $121 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $591 vs $592, with Meilen 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 9% in total monthly costs ($3,456 vs $3,765 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $1,772 in Meilen versus $2,271 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 $122 versus $121 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,456 per month in Meilen versus $3,765 in Lausanne – 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. 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 9% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.