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: $2,891 in Mendrisio versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,788 in Mendrisio versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,685 in Mendrisio versus $7,788 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 116% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.18 CHF 24.58

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-5.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$187 CHF 148

$145 CHF 114

29.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.74 CHF 14.77

$18.73 CHF 14.77

0.05%

Cappuccino

$4.32 CHF 3.40

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-28.83%

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

$4.27 CHF 3.37

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-23.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 CHF 2.98

$4.70 CHF 3.71

-19.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 CHF 4.73

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-37.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 4.96

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CHF 0.99

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-42.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 CHF 2.75

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 CHF 3.67

$4.48 CHF 3.53

4.02%

Eggs

$3.65 CHF 2.88

$7.01 CHF 5.52

-47.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.69 CHF 21.04

$26.22 CHF 20.67

1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 CHF 11.96

$28.78 CHF 22.69

-47.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.25 CHF 38.04

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-7.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.48

$3.60 CHF 2.84

-12.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.61

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.95 CHF 2.32

-14.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 CHF 4.31

$6.43 CHF 5.07

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.85

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.49 CHF 1.96

5.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.02

$1.39 CHF 1.09

-7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 8.75

$10.93 CHF 8.62

1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CHF 10.22

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.12

$2.01 CHF 1.59

33.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 CHF 3.21

$3.20 CHF 2.52

27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 CHF 2.53

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-32.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$97.6 CHF 77.0

1.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 CHF 5.42

$7.98 CHF 6.29

-13.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.40 CHF 3.47

$3.26 CHF 2.57

34.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 CHF 48.31

$67.6 CHF 53.3

-9.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$2.15 CHF 1.70

3.72%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.3K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-3.43%

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

$37.2K CHF 29.4K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-10.71%

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

$203 CHF 160

$322 CHF 254

-36.99%

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

$29.92 CHF 23.59

$50.3 CHF 39.66

-40.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.39 CHF 38.94

$57.6 CHF 45.42

-14.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 CHF 58.5

$76.0 CHF 59.9

-2.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$18.16 CHF 14.32

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-31.63%

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

$1,233 CHF 972

$2,763 CHF 2,178

-55.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.2K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 96.6

$110 CHF 86.9

11.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 CHF 37.72

$70.2 CHF 55.4

-31.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 CHF 107

$149 CHF 117

-8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 CHF 118

$185 CHF 146

-18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 CHF 1,124

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 CHF 966

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 CHF 2,258

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CHF 1,946

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-16.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,182 CHF 5,662

$7,571 CHF 5,969

-5.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,425 in Mendrisio and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 5% 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: $187 in Mendrisio vs $145 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $531 vs $651, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($2,891 vs $3,565 including rent). Mendrisio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lausanne earns 5% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,425 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 $187 versus $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,891 per month in Mendrisio versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 23% 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 23% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.