Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,925 in Mendrisio versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,848 in Mendrisio versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,771 in Mendrisio versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Mendrisio costs roughly 19% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mendrisio 119% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.74 CHF 24.85

$32.44 CHF 26.23

-5.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$186 CHF 151

$148 CHF 119

26.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 15.20

$19.05 CHF 15.40

-1.31%

Cappuccino

$4.34 CHF 3.51

$5.90 CHF 4.77

-26.44%

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

$4.29 CHF 3.47

$5.41 CHF 4.38

-20.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$4.92 CHF 3.97

-25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CHF 4.94

$10.12 CHF 8.18

-39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CHF 4.89

$8.85 CHF 7.16

-31.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CHF 1.02

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.90

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-12.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$4.37 CHF 3.53

12.59%

Eggs

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$7.37 CHF 5.96

-50.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.96 CHF 21.80

$26.35 CHF 21.31

2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.25 CHF 12.33

$28.58 CHF 23.11

-46.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.08 CHF 38.07

$53.2 CHF 42.99

-11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.56

$3.80 CHF 3.07

-16.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.15 CHF 1.74

-5.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.01

$2.89 CHF 2.34

-14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$6.62 CHF 5.35

-16.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-9.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-3.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.09

$2.53 CHF 2.04

2.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.00

$1.40 CHF 1.14

-11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.94

$11.03 CHF 8.92

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CHF 10.22

$15.39 CHF 12.44

-17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.10 CHF 1.69

25.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CHF 3.40

$3.27 CHF 2.64

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-32.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$96.1 CHF 77.7

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 CHF 5.40

$7.67 CHF 6.20

-12.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$3.42 CHF 2.77

26.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 CHF 49.66

$66.1 CHF 53.5

-7.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.18 CHF 1.76

1.83%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

2.49%

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

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-9.02%

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

$203 CHF 164

$331 CHF 267

-38.51%

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

$29.66 CHF 23.98

$50.0 CHF 40.44

-40.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.56 CHF 40.07

$57.7 CHF 46.68

-14.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$78.4 CHF 63.4

-4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.18

Cinema Ticket

$18.57 CHF 15.01

$26.35 CHF 21.31

-29.53%

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

$1,255 CHF 1,015

$2,843 CHF 2,298

-55.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 99.5

$110 CHF 89.0

11.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 CHF 38.21

$69.2 CHF 55.9

-31.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$153 CHF 124

-14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 CHF 123

$184 CHF 149

-16.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 CHF 1,139

$1,834 CHF 1,483

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CHF 998

$1,476 CHF 1,193

-16.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,856 CHF 2,309

$3,654 CHF 2,954

-21.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 2,001

$2,979 CHF 2,408

-16.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,924 CHF 5,598

$6,512 CHF 5,265

6.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

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

Last update for Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,409 in Mendrisio and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mendrisio pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $186 in Mendrisio vs $148 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $530 vs $655, with Mendrisio 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

Mendrisio vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendrisio and Lausanne differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($2,925 vs $3,619 including rent). Mendrisio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Mendrisio, 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: $1,409 in Mendrisio versus $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mendrisio – a meal for two runs $186 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,925 per month in Mendrisio versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mendrisio 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, Mendrisio 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 Mendrisio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.