Cost of Living Comparison Between Riehen and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Riehen and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,522 in Riehen versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,312 in Riehen versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,102 in Riehen versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Riehen costs roughly 3% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riehen 164% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.28 CHF 24.44

$32.44 CHF 26.18

-6.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 115

$148 CHF 119

-3.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.43 CHF 14.87

$19.05 CHF 15.37

-3.25%

Cappuccino

$6.12 CHF 4.94

$5.90 CHF 4.76

3.73%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.31

$5.41 CHF 4.37

-1.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 CHF 4.01

$4.92 CHF 3.97

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.36 CHF 6.74

$10.12 CHF 8.16

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 CHF 6.11

$8.85 CHF 7.14

-14.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.80

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 CHF 2.80

$4.09 CHF 3.30

-15.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.37

$4.37 CHF 3.53

-4.35%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.94

$7.37 CHF 5.95

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.47 CHF 22.97

$26.35 CHF 21.26

8.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.98 CHF 26.61

$28.58 CHF 23.06

15.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.25 CHF 38.93

$53.2 CHF 42.90

-9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CHF 3.01

$3.80 CHF 3.06

-1.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.85

$2.15 CHF 1.73

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.38

$2.89 CHF 2.33

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.38 CHF 5.15

$6.62 CHF 5.34

-3.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.43 CHF 1.96

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.10

$1.40 CHF 1.13

-2.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 CHF 9.00

$11.03 CHF 8.90

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.91 CHF 10.41

$15.39 CHF 12.42

-16.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.97

$2.10 CHF 1.69

16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.70

$3.27 CHF 2.64

2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.08

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-20.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.8 CHF 80.6

$96.1 CHF 77.5

3.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.19

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.47

$3.42 CHF 2.76

25.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.0 CHF 63.8

$66.1 CHF 53.4

19.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.75

$2.18 CHF 1.76

-0.46%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.0K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

3.34%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.9K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

3.30%

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

$260 CHF 210

$331 CHF 267

-21.30%

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

$49.27 CHF 39.75

$50.0 CHF 40.36

-1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 47.39

$57.7 CHF 46.59

1.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 70.4

$78.4 CHF 63.3

11.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.80 CHF 20.82

$48.46 CHF 39.10

-46.76%

Cinema Ticket

$22.94 CHF 18.51

$26.35 CHF 21.26

-12.94%

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

$2,889 CHF 2,331

$2,843 CHF 2,294

1.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 110

$110 CHF 88.8

23.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.2 CHF 54.3

$69.2 CHF 55.8

-2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$153 CHF 124

-4.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 153

$184 CHF 148

3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 CHF 1,372

$1,834 CHF 1,480

-7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CHF 1,162

$1,476 CHF 1,191

-2.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,866 CHF 2,312

$3,654 CHF 2,948

-21.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,014

$2,979 CHF 2,404

-16.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-24.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,875

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-13.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,551 CHF 6,900

$6,512 CHF 5,254

31.32%

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 Riehen: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,701 in Riehen and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $143 in Riehen vs $148 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $658 vs $655, with Lausanne 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

Riehen vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riehen and Lausanne differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($3,522 vs $3,619 including rent). Riehen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Riehen, 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: $1,701 in Riehen 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 Riehen – a meal for two runs $143 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,522 per month in Riehen versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Riehen 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, Riehen 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 Riehen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.