Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Lausanne Cost of Living Comparison Between Yens and Lausanne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,461 in Yens versus $3,824 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,201 in Yens versus $5,908 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,941 in Yens versus $7,993 in Lausanne.

Living in Yens costs roughly 9% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yens 152% above, Lausanne 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.66 CHF 24.11

$31.49 CHF 25.61

-5.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$119 CHF 96.7

2.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.06 CHF 13.06

$19.27 CHF 15.67

-16.66%

Cappuccino

$6.18 CHF 5.03

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-2.22%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.28

$5.28 CHF 4.30

-0.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 CHF 3.38

$4.09 CHF 3.32

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.59 CHF 7.80

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 CHF 6.45

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-20.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.83

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CHF 2.52

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-21.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.65

$3.28 CHF 2.66

-0.61%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$7.55 CHF 6.14

-3.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 CHF 20.46

$24.73 CHF 20.10

1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.17 CHF 23.72

$28.61 CHF 23.26

1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.85 CHF 33.21

$40.20 CHF 32.68

1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$3.68 CHF 2.99

-0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.10 CHF 1.71

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 CHF 3.73

$4.55 CHF 3.70

0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CHF 1.52

$1.82 CHF 1.48

2.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$1.98 CHF 1.61

2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.79

$2.03 CHF 1.65

8.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.12

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-23.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.96

$11.19 CHF 9.10

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CHF 10.10

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.91

$2.69 CHF 2.19

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CHF 2.32

$3.22 CHF 2.62

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.32 CHF 3.52

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-5.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 82.7

$97.5 CHF 79.2

4.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.34 CHF 6.78

$7.82 CHF 6.36

6.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.68 CHF 3.80

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.7

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-0.31%

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)

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-2.72%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.4K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

2.56%

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

$277 CHF 225

$305 CHF 248

-9.20%

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

$29.46 CHF 23.95

$38.30 CHF 31.14

-23.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CHF 41.88

$51.6 CHF 41.91

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.8 CHF 75.5

$74.1 CHF 60.3

25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.39 CHF 37.71

$50.8 CHF 41.27

-8.61%

Cinema Ticket

$25.04 CHF 20.36

$24.97 CHF 20.30

0.28%

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

$3,081 CHF 2,505

$3,045 CHF 2,476

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-16.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 CHF 50.9

$77.9 CHF 63.4

-19.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 116

$141 CHF 114

1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 162

$224 CHF 182

-11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 CHF 1,466

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 CHF 1,237

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 CHF 2,348

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-35.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,494 CHF 2,028

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-24.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-12.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,640

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

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

Last update for Yens: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,804 in Yens and $2,339 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $121 in Yens vs $119 in Lausanne. Groceries flip the comparison at $581 vs $598, with Yens 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

Yens vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yens and Lausanne differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($3,461 vs $3,824 including rent). Yens is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,192 in Yens and $5,736 in Lausanne to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,804 in Yens 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 Yens – a meal for two runs $121 versus $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,461 per month in Yens versus $3,824 in Lausanne – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Yens 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, Yens 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 Yens gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.