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: $3,459 in Yens versus $3,619 in Lausanne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,362 in Yens versus $5,781 in Lausanne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,264 in Yens versus $7,944 in Lausanne.

Living in Yens costs roughly 4% less than in Lausanne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yens 159% above, Lausanne 171% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.31 CHF 24.46

$32.44 CHF 26.18

-6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$148 CHF 119

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.91 CHF 15.25

$19.05 CHF 15.37

-0.73%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.76

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

$5.46 CHF 4.41

$5.41 CHF 4.37

0.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 CHF 3.80

$4.92 CHF 3.97

-4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.78

$10.12 CHF 8.16

-4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CHF 6.04

$8.85 CHF 7.14

-15.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.79

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$4.09 CHF 3.30

-7.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.59

$4.37 CHF 3.53

1.83%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 5.99

$7.37 CHF 5.95

0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.28 CHF 21.20

$26.35 CHF 21.26

-0.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.80 CHF 23.24

$28.58 CHF 23.06

0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.50 CHF 35.91

$53.2 CHF 42.90

-16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.92

$3.80 CHF 3.06

-4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$2.15 CHF 1.73

-3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.29

$2.89 CHF 2.33

-1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.61 CHF 5.33

$6.62 CHF 5.34

-0.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.43 CHF 1.96

2.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-2.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.02

$2.53 CHF 2.04

-0.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CHF 1.13

$1.40 CHF 1.13

0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 8.93

$11.03 CHF 8.90

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 CHF 11.08

$15.39 CHF 12.42

-10.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$2.10 CHF 1.69

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.50

$3.27 CHF 2.64

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 CHF 3.20

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-18.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 79.9

$96.1 CHF 77.5

3.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 CHF 6.24

$7.67 CHF 6.19

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.41 CHF 2.75

$3.42 CHF 2.76

-0.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$67.2 CHF 54.3

$66.1 CHF 53.4

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.18 CHF 1.76

1.38%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.5K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

1.76%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.8K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

0.03%

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

$301 CHF 243

$331 CHF 267

-8.87%

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

$51.1 CHF 41.23

$50.0 CHF 40.36

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 46.38

$57.7 CHF 46.59

-0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.9 CHF 71.7

$78.4 CHF 63.3

13.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.10

Cinema Ticket

$22.64 CHF 18.27

$26.35 CHF 21.26

-14.08%

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

$2,534 CHF 2,045

$2,843 CHF 2,294

-10.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K CHF 27.0K

$34.6K CHF 27.9K

-3.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 86.1

$110 CHF 88.8

-3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 55.4

$69.2 CHF 55.8

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 120

$153 CHF 124

-2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$183 CHF 148

$184 CHF 148

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 CHF 1,367

$1,834 CHF 1,480

-7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CHF 1,168

$1,476 CHF 1,191

-1.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,801 CHF 2,260

$3,654 CHF 2,948

-23.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CHF 1,966

$2,979 CHF 2,404

-18.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.1K CHF 13.8K

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-8.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,709

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-24.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,254

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,694 in Yens and $1,834 in Lausanne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $147 in Yens vs $148 in Lausanne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $622 vs $655 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 5% in total monthly costs ($3,459 vs $3,619 including rent). Yens is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,189 in Yens and $5,429 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: $1,694 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 $147 versus $148 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,459 per month in Yens versus $3,619 in Lausanne – a 5% 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 5% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.