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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,427 per month in Fribourg vs $3,097 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,002 per month in Fribourg vs $4,901 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,577 per month in Fribourg vs $6,705 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Fribourg costs about 11% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fribourg and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Fribourg by 149%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.42 CHF 24.73

$25.23 CHF 20.51

20.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 103

$88.6 CHF 72.0

42.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.94 CHF 12.96

$18.81 CHF 15.30

-15.26%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.15

$4.74 CHF 3.85

33.54%

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

$5.12 CHF 4.16

$3.75 CHF 3.05

36.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 CHF 4.33

$4.78 CHF 3.89

11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 CHF 5.96

$7.31 CHF 5.94

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CHF 5.52

$6.09 CHF 4.95

11.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.39 CHF 1.94

-8.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 CHF 2.74

$3.14 CHF 2.55

7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.84

$3.31 CHF 2.69

5.44%

Eggs

$7.59 CHF 6.17

$7.71 CHF 6.27

-1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.18 CHF 20.47

$26.57 CHF 21.60

-5.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.03 CHF 21.16

$27.97 CHF 22.74

-6.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$37.06 CHF 30.13

$43.27 CHF 35.18

-14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.90

$3.79 CHF 3.08

-6.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.41

$2.37 CHF 1.93

-27.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.15

$3.00 CHF 2.44

-12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 CHF 3.83

$4.82 CHF 3.92

-2.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.47

$1.49 CHF 1.21

21.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 CHF 1.67

$1.98 CHF 1.61

4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.65 CHF 1.34

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.13

$11.04 CHF 8.98

1.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 CHF 8.39

$12.52 CHF 10.18

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.02

$2.42 CHF 1.97

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$3.10 CHF 2.52

-20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 CHF 2.83

$4.54 CHF 3.69

-23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 CHF 71.7

$103 CHF 83.5

-14.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.09 CHF 8.20

$8.24 CHF 6.70

22.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.40

$4.68 CHF 3.80

-10.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.6 CHF 61.5

$88.4 CHF 71.9

-14.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.77

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-7.23%

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

$42.8K CHF 34.8K

$44.5K CHF 36.2K

-4.00%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.2K

-0.06%

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

$350 CHF 285

$298 CHF 242

17.38%

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

$41.90 CHF 34.07

$52.8 CHF 42.92

-20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CHF 47.09

$65.2 CHF 53.0

-11.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 CHF 51.1

$75.7 CHF 61.6

-17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.05 CHF 25.24

$47.04 CHF 38.24

-33.99%

Cinema Ticket

$21.29 CHF 17.31

$23.70 CHF 19.26

-10.17%

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

$1,855 CHF 1,508

$3,027 CHF 2,461

-38.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K CHF 30.4K

$21.0K CHF 17.0K

78.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 CHF 83.0

$152 CHF 123

-32.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 CHF 48.59

$81.8 CHF 66.5

-26.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$171 CHF 139

-3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 154

$206 CHF 168

-8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 CHF 1,295

$1,480 CHF 1,203

7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,194

$1,114 CHF 905

31.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 CHF 2,046

$4,032 CHF 3,278

-37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,250 CHF 1,829

$2,469 CHF 2,008

-8.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.8K CHF 16.9K

$16.7K CHF 13.6K

24.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.6K

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

12.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,080 CHF 5,756

$5,145 CHF 4,183

37.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

2.43

-4.94%

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

Last update for Fribourg: August 31, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Fribourg versus $1,480 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Fribourg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $126 in Fribourg versus $89.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Groceries tell a different story – $557 in Fribourg vs $599 in La Chaux-de-Fonds – so Fribourg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Fribourg costs about 11% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,140 per month in Fribourg and $4,646 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Chaux-de-Fonds, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,855 per month in Fribourg and $3,027 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Fribourg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,427 in Fribourg and $3,097 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Chaux-de-Fonds costs $3,097 versus $3,427 in Fribourg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with La Chaux-de-Fonds. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fribourg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.