Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and La Chaux-de-Fonds Cost of Living Comparison Between Barcelona and La Chaux-de-Fonds

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,320 in Barcelona versus $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,426 in Barcelona versus $5,011 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,532 in Barcelona versus $6,877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Living in Barcelona costs roughly 26% less than in La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barcelona 74% above, La Chaux-de-Fonds 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.46

$24.88 CHF 20.15

-29.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €61.0

$86.0 CHF 69.6

-18.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 €12.40

$18.51 CHF 14.99

-23.50%

Cappuccino

$2.80 €2.45

$4.63 CHF 3.75

-39.52%

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

$2.81 €2.46

$3.73 CHF 3.02

-24.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.81

$4.49 CHF 3.64

-54.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.60 €4.03

$7.25 CHF 5.87

-36.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 €4.11

$6.29 CHF 5.09

-25.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 €1.08

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$3.78 CHF 3.06

-46.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$4.43 CHF 3.59

-55.30%

Eggs

$3.49 €3.05

$7.39 CHF 5.98

-52.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.33 €16.05

$26.83 CHF 21.74

-31.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 €8.61

$33.57 CHF 27.19

-70.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.13 €16.75

$52.2 CHF 42.31

-63.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 €2.39

$3.56 CHF 2.89

-23.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.09

$2.51 CHF 2.04

-5.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.95 CHF 2.39

-29.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$6.18 CHF 5.01

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.60 CHF 2.11

-24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-23.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.29

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-43.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.80

$1.37 CHF 1.11

-33.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.25

$10.90 CHF 8.83

-34.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 €6.90

$12.40 CHF 10.05

-36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 €2.09

$3.72 CHF 3.01

-35.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 €2.64

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-0.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.35 €25.71

$160 CHF 130

-81.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 €3.82

$7.64 CHF 6.19

-42.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.53 CHF 2.86

-39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.60 €25.93

$65.5 CHF 53.1

-54.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.60

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-19.47%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-5.30%

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

$32.4K €28.4K

$48.4K CHF 39.2K

-33.03%

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

$189 €166

$257 CHF 208

-26.34%

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

$22.29 €19.52

$48.14 CHF 38.99

-53.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.16 €32.55

$63.8 CHF 51.7

-41.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 €50.8

$75.0 CHF 60.8

-22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 €18.09

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 €9.52

$24.67 CHF 19.99

-55.94%

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

$706 €618

$3,023 CHF 2,449

-76.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K €13.0K

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

-28.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 €78.3

$137 CHF 111

-34.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.60 €32.06

$80.6 CHF 65.3

-54.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €91.1

$165 CHF 134

-37.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €105

$208 CHF 169

-42.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 €1,383

$1,489 CHF 1,206

6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 €1,084

$1,069 CHF 866

15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 €2,375

$3,989 CHF 3,231

-32.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 €1,786

$2,369 CHF 1,919

-13.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,527 €6,592

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

-57.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,239 €4,588

$11.3K CHF 9,151

-53.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,364 €2,070

$5,195 CHF 4,208

-54.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.39

2.46

37.80%

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

Last update for Barcelona: July 13, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Barcelona and $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

La Chaux-de-Fonds pays 120% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Barcelona vs $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $671 per month, with Barcelona 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

Barcelona vs La Chaux-de-Fonds: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona and La Chaux-de-Fonds differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,320 vs $3,144 including rent). Barcelona is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 120% lower in La Chaux-de-Fonds. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Barcelona versus $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Barcelona versus $3,023 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in La Chaux-de-Fonds. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,320 in Barcelona versus $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Barcelona but tight or insufficient in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The gap between the two cities makes Barcelona the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Barcelona and La Chaux-de-Fonds 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 Barcelona gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.