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: $3,511 in Yens versus $3,565 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,311 in Yens versus $5,676 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,111 in Yens versus $7,788 in Lausanne.

Living in Yens costs roughly 2% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yens 162% above, Lausanne 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 24.16

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 114

-0.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 14.91

$18.73 CHF 14.77

0.96%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.85

$6.07 CHF 4.79

1.32%

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

$5.34 CHF 4.21

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-4.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.84

$4.70 CHF 3.71

3.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.92 CHF 7.82

$9.64 CHF 7.60

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 CHF 5.86

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.03

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-7.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 CHF 3.56

$4.48 CHF 3.53

0.89%

Eggs

$7.10 CHF 5.60

$7.01 CHF 5.52

1.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.46 CHF 20.86

$26.22 CHF 20.67

0.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.53 CHF 22.50

$28.78 CHF 22.69

-0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.82 CHF 34.55

$52.0 CHF 40.97

-15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$3.60 CHF 2.84

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.66

$2.19 CHF 1.73

-3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$2.95 CHF 2.32

-4.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 CHF 5.18

$6.43 CHF 5.07

2.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-2.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CHF 1.15

$1.39 CHF 1.09

5.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.93 CHF 8.62

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.85

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CHF 1.59

$2.01 CHF 1.59

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CHF 2.46

$3.20 CHF 2.52

-2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.11

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.7 CHF 77.8

$97.6 CHF 77.0

1.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 CHF 6.38

$7.98 CHF 6.29

1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.65

$3.26 CHF 2.57

3.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.2 CHF 52.2

$67.6 CHF 53.3

-2.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.73

$2.15 CHF 1.70

1.86%

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

$40.0K CHF 31.6K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

-2.55%

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

$41.6K CHF 32.8K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

-0.21%

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

$304 CHF 240

$322 CHF 254

-5.65%

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

$51.1 CHF 40.31

$50.3 CHF 39.66

1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 45.49

$57.6 CHF 45.42

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 CHF 70.7

$76.0 CHF 59.9

17.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$23.13 CHF 18.23

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-12.91%

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

$2,554 CHF 2,014

$2,763 CHF 2,178

-7.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CHF 26.6K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

-1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 84.7

$110 CHF 86.9

-2.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.9 CHF 55.9

$70.2 CHF 55.4

0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$149 CHF 117

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$185 CHF 146

-0.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,711 CHF 1,349

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CHF 1,144

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,872 CHF 2,264

$3,523 CHF 2,777

-18.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 CHF 1,913

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-17.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.7K CHF 12.4K

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-19.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,331

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,571 CHF 5,969

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 Yens: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,711 in Yens and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $145 in Yens vs $145 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $618 vs $651 per month, with Yens 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

Yens vs Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yens and Lausanne differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,511 vs $3,565 including rent). Yens is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,266 in Yens and $5,347 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: $1,711 in Yens versus $1,834 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 $145 versus $145 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,511 per month in Yens versus $3,565 in Lausanne – a 2% 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 2% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.