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 $3,497 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,931 in Schaffhausen versus $5,694 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,712 in Schaffhausen versus $7,890 in Lausanne.

Living in Schaffhausen costs roughly 10% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaffhausen 135% above, Lausanne 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.31 CHF 24.55

$33.20 CHF 26.03

-5.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 98.1

$148 CHF 116

-15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.86 CHF 12.43

$19.38 CHF 15.19

-18.16%

Cappuccino

$5.43 CHF 4.26

$5.99 CHF 4.69

-9.35%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.25

$5.58 CHF 4.38

-2.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CHF 3.47

$4.84 CHF 3.79

-8.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 CHF 6.43

$10.03 CHF 7.87

-18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 CHF 5.95

$8.43 CHF 6.61

-9.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 CHF 1.49

$2.17 CHF 1.70

-12.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$4.11 CHF 3.22

-7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.79

$4.45 CHF 3.49

-20.22%

Eggs

$7.66 CHF 6.01

$7.27 CHF 5.70

5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.66 CHF 23.25

$26.33 CHF 20.64

12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.28 CHF 27.66

$28.92 CHF 22.67

21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.59

$52.0 CHF 40.77

-0.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 CHF 2.95

$3.79 CHF 2.97

-0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$2.10 CHF 1.65

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.25

$2.89 CHF 2.26

-0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 CHF 4.72

$6.68 CHF 5.23

-9.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.93

$2.55 CHF 2.00

-3.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.35 CHF 1.84

3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.10

$2.60 CHF 2.04

2.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.01

$1.39 CHF 1.09

-7.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 8.85

$11.12 CHF 8.72

1.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 10.90

$15.76 CHF 12.36

-11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$2.05 CHF 1.61

-33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 CHF 2.15

$3.17 CHF 2.49

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.79 CHF 2.97

$4.72 CHF 3.70

-19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CHF 66.7

$97.3 CHF 76.3

-12.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 CHF 7.91

$7.82 CHF 6.13

28.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.22

$3.41 CHF 2.67

20.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.3 CHF 48.83

$67.8 CHF 53.1

-8.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-4.02%

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

$40.9K CHF 32.0K

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

0.23%

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

$42.5K CHF 33.3K

$41.6K CHF 32.6K

2.12%

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

$242 CHF 190

$330 CHF 259

-26.57%

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

$28.69 CHF 22.49

$49.88 CHF 39.11

-42.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 CHF 34.13

$58.0 CHF 45.44

-24.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 85.7

$76.1 CHF 59.7

43.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.51 CHF 37.25

$47.53 CHF 37.26

-0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$22.50 CHF 17.64

$26.14 CHF 20.50

-13.93%

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

$3,325 CHF 2,607

$2,812 CHF 2,205

18.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.6K CHF 34.1K

$34.5K CHF 27.1K

26.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 87.9

$110 CHF 86.2

2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 CHF 53.5

$68.9 CHF 54.0

-0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 102

$150 CHF 118

-13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CHF 124

$188 CHF 147

-15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,214 CHF 952

$1,853 CHF 1,453

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 CHF 957

$1,496 CHF 1,173

-18.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 CHF 2,159

$3,576 CHF 2,803

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CHF 1,696

$2,917 CHF 2,287

-25.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,567 CHF 6,717

$20.0K CHF 15.7K

-57.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,910 CHF 5,417

$15.3K CHF 12.0K

-54.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,437 CHF 7,398

$7,994 CHF 6,267

18.05%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,214 in Schaffhausen and $1,853 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $125 in Schaffhausen vs $148 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $675 vs $653, 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 11% in total monthly costs ($3,151 vs $3,497 including rent). Schaffhausen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Schaffhausen pays 18% 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: $1,214 in Schaffhausen versus $1,853 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 $125 versus $148 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 $3,497 in Lausanne – a 11% 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 11% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.