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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,606 in Basel versus $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,819 in Basel versus $5,011 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,033 in Basel versus $6,877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Living in Basel is roughly 15% more expensive than in La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 170% above, La Chaux-de-Fonds 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.16 CHF 25.24

$24.88 CHF 20.15

25.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 125

$86.0 CHF 69.6

79.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.41 CHF 15.72

$18.51 CHF 14.99

4.86%

Cappuccino

$6.73 CHF 5.45

$4.63 CHF 3.75

45.36%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.43

$3.73 CHF 3.02

46.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CHF 4.22

$4.49 CHF 3.64

16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.82

$7.25 CHF 5.87

33.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 5.92

$6.29 CHF 5.09

16.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.17 CHF 1.76

1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 CHF 3.14

$3.78 CHF 3.06

2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 CHF 4.20

$4.43 CHF 3.59

17.16%

Eggs

$7.82 CHF 6.34

$7.39 CHF 5.98

5.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.51 CHF 23.09

$26.83 CHF 21.74

6.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.76 CHF 29.78

$33.57 CHF 27.19

9.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.22 CHF 35.82

$52.2 CHF 42.31

-15.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$3.56 CHF 2.89

9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$2.51 CHF 2.04

9.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$2.95 CHF 2.39

41.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.66

$6.18 CHF 5.01

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$2.60 CHF 2.11

25.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$2.35 CHF 1.91

26.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$1.37 CHF 1.11

8.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 CHF 9.58

$10.90 CHF 8.83

8.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 CHF 11.08

$12.40 CHF 10.05

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.96

$2.41 CHF 1.95

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$3.72 CHF 3.01

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 CHF 3.86

$3.04 CHF 2.46

56.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 85.1

$160 CHF 130

-34.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.42

$7.64 CHF 6.19

3.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.36 CHF 3.53

$3.53 CHF 2.86

23.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 70.8

$65.5 CHF 53.1

33.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-2.65%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

1.95%

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

$45.1K CHF 36.6K

$48.4K CHF 39.2K

-6.67%

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

$302 CHF 245

$257 CHF 208

17.74%

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

$54.0 CHF 43.74

$48.14 CHF 38.99

12.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 CHF 47.69

$63.8 CHF 51.7

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 CHF 73.6

$75.0 CHF 60.8

21.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 CHF 33.52

Cinema Ticket

$23.17 CHF 18.77

$24.67 CHF 19.99

-6.08%

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

$2,533 CHF 2,052

$3,023 CHF 2,449

-16.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

63.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 110

$137 CHF 111

-1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.6 CHF 71.0

$80.6 CHF 65.3

8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 CHF 146

$165 CHF 134

8.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$230 CHF 186

$208 CHF 169

10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 CHF 1,704

$1,489 CHF 1,206

41.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 CHF 1,224

$1,069 CHF 866

41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,742 CHF 3,031

$3,989 CHF 3,231

-6.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,829 CHF 2,292

$2,369 CHF 1,919

19.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

6.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$11.3K CHF 9,151

29.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,175 CHF 5,812

$5,195 CHF 4,208

38.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.55

2.46

3.66%

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

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,103 in Basel and $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 38% 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: $154 in Basel vs $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $692 vs $671 per month, with La Chaux-de-Fonds 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

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

La Chaux-de-Fonds wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making La Chaux-de-Fonds the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Basel, 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: $2,103 in Basel 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 $2,533 in Basel 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 3% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. La Chaux-de-Fonds is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but La Chaux-de-Fonds delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,144 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes La Chaux-de-Fonds hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel 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 La Chaux-de-Fonds gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.