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: $3,556 in Riehen versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,257 in Riehen versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,959 in Riehen versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Riehen costs roughly 7% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riehen 159% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.64 CHF 25.72

$31.49 CHF 25.61

0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 101

$119 CHF 96.7

4.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.91 CHF 12.93

$19.27 CHF 15.67

-17.44%

Cappuccino

$6.40 CHF 5.21

$6.32 CHF 5.14

1.27%

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

$5.29 CHF 4.30

$5.28 CHF 4.30

0.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.48 CHF 4.45

$4.09 CHF 3.32

33.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 CHF 5.97

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 CHF 5.56

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-31.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.65

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-17.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.92

$3.28 CHF 2.66

9.45%

Eggs

$7.53 CHF 6.12

$7.55 CHF 6.14

-0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.20 CHF 20.48

$24.73 CHF 20.10

1.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.67

$28.61 CHF 23.26

-6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.32 CHF 31.15

$40.20 CHF 32.68

-4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.97

$3.68 CHF 2.99

-0.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CHF 1.41

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.15

$2.53 CHF 2.06

4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$4.55 CHF 3.70

3.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.44

$1.82 CHF 1.48

-2.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$1.98 CHF 1.61

8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.93

$2.03 CHF 1.65

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.03

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-29.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.41 CHF 9.27

$11.19 CHF 9.10

1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 CHF 8.69

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 CHF 2.99

$2.69 CHF 2.19

36.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.97

$3.22 CHF 2.62

-24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.35 CHF 3.53

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-4.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 85.5

$97.5 CHF 79.2

7.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 CHF 8.14

$7.82 CHF 6.36

28.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 CHF 3.24

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-15.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.9 CHF 61.7

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-14.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-1.69%

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

$43.0K CHF 35.0K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-3.61%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

1.51%

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

$355 CHF 289

$305 CHF 248

16.48%

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

$43.00 CHF 34.96

$38.30 CHF 31.14

12.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 48.71

$51.6 CHF 41.91

16.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.7 CHF 77.8

$74.1 CHF 60.3

29.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.67 CHF 38.75

$50.8 CHF 41.27

-6.09%

Cinema Ticket

$21.42 CHF 17.41

$24.97 CHF 20.30

-14.22%

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

$1,880 CHF 1,528

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-38.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K CHF 30.0K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-3.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 CHF 85.4

$144 CHF 117

-27.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 CHF 48.50

$77.9 CHF 63.4

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 136

$141 CHF 114

18.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 CHF 158

$224 CHF 182

-13.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,488

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 CHF 1,194

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-19.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,503 CHF 2,848

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-21.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 CHF 2,049

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-24.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-12.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-12.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,943 CHF 7,271

$6,938 CHF 5,640

28.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

1.95

18.46%

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

Last update for Riehen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,830 in Riehen and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riehen pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $124 in Riehen vs $119 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $565 vs $598, with Riehen 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 8% in total monthly costs ($3,556 vs $3,824 including rent). Riehen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $1,830 in Riehen versus $2,339 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 $124 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,556 per month in Riehen versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 8% 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 8% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.