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: $3,182 in Mendrisio versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,897 in Mendrisio versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,612 in Mendrisio versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Mendrisio costs roughly 17% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mendrisio 132% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.50 CHF 28.86

$31.49 CHF 25.61

12.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$177 CHF 144

$119 CHF 96.7

48.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.33 CHF 16.53

$19.27 CHF 15.67

5.50%

Cappuccino

$4.56 CHF 3.71

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-27.85%

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

$5.22 CHF 4.24

$5.28 CHF 4.30

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CHF 3.24

$4.09 CHF 3.32

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.80 CHF 7.16

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-15.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 CHF 6.01

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-25.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.07

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-5.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.46

$3.28 CHF 2.66

29.57%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 6.00

$7.55 CHF 6.14

-2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.48 CHF 21.52

$24.73 CHF 20.10

7.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.91 CHF 24.32

$28.61 CHF 23.26

4.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.00 CHF 33.33

$40.20 CHF 32.68

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.76

$3.68 CHF 2.99

-7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 CHF 1.40

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-18.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.53 CHF 2.06

0.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$4.55 CHF 3.70

38.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.98 CHF 1.61

12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$2.03 CHF 1.65

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CHF 0.96

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 9.09

$11.19 CHF 9.10

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 CHF 10.29

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CHF 2.40

$2.69 CHF 2.19

9.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CHF 3.36

$3.22 CHF 2.62

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.13 CHF 2.55

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-31.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 79.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 CHF 5.89

$7.82 CHF 6.36

-7.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.81 CHF 4.72

$4.74 CHF 3.85

22.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.3 CHF 65.3

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-9.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-2.97%

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

$36.3K CHF 29.5K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-18.79%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.9K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

0.91%

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

$294 CHF 239

$305 CHF 248

-3.67%

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

$22.75 CHF 18.49

$38.30 CHF 31.14

-40.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.39 CHF 40.15

$51.6 CHF 41.91

-4.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 CHF 60.2

$74.1 CHF 60.3

-0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.27

Cinema Ticket

$20.28 CHF 16.49

$24.97 CHF 20.30

-18.78%

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

$1,216 CHF 989

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-60.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.2K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-9.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$164 CHF 133

$144 CHF 117

13.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 CHF 47.83

$77.9 CHF 63.4

-24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$196 CHF 159

$141 CHF 114

39.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 CHF 124

$224 CHF 182

-32.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 CHF 1,164

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 CHF 1,022

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-31.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,623

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,696

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,940 CHF 5,643

$6,938 CHF 5,640

0.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.37

1.95

21.54%

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

Last update for Mendrisio: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,432 in Mendrisio and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mendrisio pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $177 in Mendrisio vs $119 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $610 vs $598 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

Mendrisio vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendrisio and Lausanne differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($3,182 vs $3,824 including rent). Mendrisio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% 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: $1,432 in Mendrisio versus $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lausanne pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,182 per month in Mendrisio versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 20% 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 20% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.