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: $3,132 in Schaffhausen versus $3,595 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,926 in Schaffhausen versus $5,762 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,720 in Schaffhausen versus $7,930 in Lausanne.

Living in Schaffhausen costs roughly 13% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 133% above, Lausanne 167% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.29

$32.90 CHF 26.29

-7.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.4

$147 CHF 118

-15.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.65

$19.29 CHF 15.42

-17.99%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.33

$5.98 CHF 4.78

-9.36%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.28

$5.33 CHF 4.26

0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.49

$4.95 CHF 3.95

-11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.36

$9.60 CHF 7.67

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.88

$8.72 CHF 6.97

-15.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.57

$2.18 CHF 1.75

-10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.01

$4.13 CHF 3.30

-8.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.88

$4.30 CHF 3.44

-16.05%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.29

$7.03 CHF 5.62

11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.54

$26.28 CHF 21.01

12.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 28.01

$28.86 CHF 23.07

21.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.39

$51.6 CHF 41.28

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.94

$3.62 CHF 2.89

1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.86

$2.10 CHF 1.68

10.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

$2.95 CHF 2.35

-0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.91

$6.67 CHF 5.33

-7.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$2.52 CHF 2.01

-3.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$2.43 CHF 1.94

2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.05

$2.54 CHF 2.03

0.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$1.47 CHF 1.18

-12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.77

$11.16 CHF 8.92

-1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.85

$16.23 CHF 12.97

-24.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$2.11 CHF 1.69

-35.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$3.11 CHF 2.49

-12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.18

$4.92 CHF 3.93

-19.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.7

$94.3 CHF 75.3

-7.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.11

$7.89 CHF 6.31

28.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.11

$3.28 CHF 2.62

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$67.0 CHF 53.5

-9.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$2.25 CHF 1.80

-1.78%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$40.4K CHF 32.3K

-0.20%

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

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

$41.8K CHF 33.4K

1.91%

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

$247 CHF 197

$325 CHF 260

-24.08%

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

$28.92 CHF 23.11

$50.8 CHF 40.61

-43.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 35.11

$57.8 CHF 46.17

-23.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 87.2

$78.6 CHF 62.8

38.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

$47.52 CHF 37.98

0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 18.01

$26.56 CHF 21.23

-15.17%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,708

$2,833 CHF 2,264

19.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

$33.8K CHF 27.0K

25.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.1

$108 CHF 86.1

3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 53.1

$70.5 CHF 56.4

-5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$148 CHF 118

-12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 124

$184 CHF 147

-15.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 972

$1,837 CHF 1,469

-33.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 977

$1,445 CHF 1,155

-15.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,152

$3,615 CHF 2,889

-25.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,756

$2,906 CHF 2,322

-24.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,706

$19.8K CHF 15.8K

-57.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,410

$14.3K CHF 11.4K

-52.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,463

$7,240 CHF 5,787

28.95%

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 Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,216 in Schaffhausen and $1,837 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen 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 Schaffhausen vs $147 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $672 vs $652, 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

Schaffhausen vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen and Lausanne differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($3,132 vs $3,595 including rent). Schaffhausen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Schaffhausen pays 29% more on average, 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: $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $1,837 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 $124 versus $147 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,132 per month in Schaffhausen versus $3,595 in Lausanne – a 15% 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 15% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.