Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaffhausen and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,151 in Schaffhausen versus $3,900 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,139 in Schaffhausen versus $5,943 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,126 in Schaffhausen versus $7,986 in Lausanne.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 129% above, Lausanne 183% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.20 CHF 25.46

$30.85 CHF 25.18

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.0

$120 CHF 97.9

1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.40

$18.94 CHF 15.45

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.69

$6.21 CHF 5.07

-7.41%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.47

$5.26 CHF 4.30

3.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CHF 4.07

$4.32 CHF 3.53

15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 CHF 7.13

$10.68 CHF 8.72

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CHF 6.09

$9.99 CHF 8.15

-25.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$4.07 CHF 3.32

1.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 CHF 3.55

$3.32 CHF 2.71

31.33%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$7.13 CHF 5.82

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.35 CHF 23.14

$24.97 CHF 20.38

13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.11 CHF 26.20

$28.48 CHF 23.25

12.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.79 CHF 35.74

$40.00 CHF 32.65

9.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$3.73 CHF 3.04

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.17 CHF 1.77

0.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.59

$2.62 CHF 2.14

20.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$4.76 CHF 3.88

19.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$1.81 CHF 1.48

39.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$1.99 CHF 1.62

13.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$2.05 CHF 1.68

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.71 CHF 1.39

-26.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.17

$10.90 CHF 8.90

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 CHF 11.20

$15.21 CHF 12.42

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$2.74 CHF 2.23

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CHF 3.24

$3.33 CHF 2.72

19.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$4.55 CHF 3.72

-13.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 CHF 81.1

$95.4 CHF 77.8

4.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 CHF 5.11

$7.80 CHF 6.36

-19.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$4.71 CHF 3.85

-19.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 50.2

$85.7 CHF 69.9

-28.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.27 CHF 1.85

-2.20%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

1.24%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

1.87%

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

$228 CHF 186

$295 CHF 240

-22.75%

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

$31.99 CHF 26.11

$37.56 CHF 30.65

-14.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.2

$51.2 CHF 41.78

24.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 91.1

$72.5 CHF 59.2

53.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.98 CHF 38.34

$50.4 CHF 41.15

-6.82%

Cinema Ticket

$23.97 CHF 19.56

$24.31 CHF 19.84

-1.40%

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

$3,228 CHF 2,634

$3,018 CHF 2,463

6.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$37.2K CHF 30.3K

-10.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$170 CHF 138

$145 CHF 118

16.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 CHF 44.83

$78.1 CHF 63.8

-29.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$193 CHF 157

$144 CHF 118

33.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CHF 128

$217 CHF 177

-27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 CHF 1,112

$2,280 CHF 1,861

-40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CHF 980

$1,848 CHF 1,508

-35.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 CHF 2,212

$4,387 CHF 3,580

-38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CHF 1,967

$3,275 CHF 2,672

-26.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 CHF 6,830

$18.8K CHF 15.3K

-55.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,886

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

-41.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,296 CHF 5,954

$7,014 CHF 5,724

4.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

1.95

27.18%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,362 in Schaffhausen and $2,280 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Schaffhausen vs $120 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $651 vs $597 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

Schaffhausen vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen and Lausanne differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($3,151 vs $3,900 including rent). Schaffhausen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Schaffhausen, 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: $1,362 in Schaffhausen versus $2,280 in Lausanne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Schaffhausen – a meal for two runs $121 versus $120 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,151 per month in Schaffhausen versus $3,900 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 $2,000. Schaffhausen 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, Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen 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.