Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in La Chaux-de-Fonds: $2,965 a month against $3,310 in Fribourg, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fribourg outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

160

Cost of Living Index in Fribourg
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Fribourg Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in La Chaux-de-Fonds
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La Chaux-de-Fonds Living Index

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Fribourg

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,310

/mo nomad

La Chaux-de-Fonds

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,965

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fribourg and in La Chaux-de-Fonds

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fribourg and in La Chaux-de-Fonds actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,310 per month in Fribourg vs $2,965 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Fribourg $3,310
La Chaux-de-Fonds $2,965

A couple spends around $4,866 per month in Fribourg vs $4,731 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Fribourg $4,866
La Chaux-de-Fonds $4,731

A family of three spends $6,423 per month in Fribourg vs $6,498 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Fribourg $6,423
La Chaux-de-Fonds $6,498

Fribourg costs about 12% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fribourg and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Fribourg by 145%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 CHF 24.79

$24.06 CHF 19.81

25.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 CHF 97.0

$84.7 CHF 69.8

39.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 CHF 12.58

$18.02 CHF 14.84

-15.26%

Cappuccino

$6.14 CHF 5.06

$4.67 CHF 3.85

31.48%

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

$4.89 CHF 4.03

$3.55 CHF 2.93

37.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 CHF 4.22

$4.48 CHF 3.69

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 CHF 5.91

$7.26 CHF 5.98

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CHF 5.31

$5.85 CHF 4.82

10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.76

$2.18 CHF 1.79

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 CHF 2.59

$2.97 CHF 2.45

6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CHF 2.89

$3.22 CHF 2.65

9.01%

Eggs

$7.23 CHF 5.96

$7.74 CHF 6.37

-6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.79 CHF 19.60

$25.32 CHF 20.85

-6.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.77 CHF 20.40

$26.73 CHF 22.01

-7.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.43 CHF 30.01

$41.67 CHF 34.32

-12.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CHF 2.90

$3.66 CHF 3.01

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.39

$2.35 CHF 1.93

-28.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 2.03

$2.93 CHF 2.41

-16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.67

$4.50 CHF 3.70

-1.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.47

$1.66 CHF 1.37

7.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.70

$1.90 CHF 1.57

8.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 1.01

$1.56 CHF 1.28

-21.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CHF 9.04

$10.96 CHF 9.03

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 CHF 8.40

$11.96 CHF 9.85

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 CHF 2.84

$2.44 CHF 2.01

41.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.92

$3.00 CHF 2.47

-22.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 CHF 2.94

$4.63 CHF 3.81

-22.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 70.6

$98.1 CHF 80.8

-12.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 CHF 8.10

$7.72 CHF 6.36

27.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.02 CHF 3.31

$4.46 CHF 3.68

-9.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.4 CHF 59.7

$84.5 CHF 69.6

-14.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$2.35 CHF 1.94

-3.83%

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

$41.7K CHF 34.3K

$42.9K CHF 35.4K

-2.85%

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

$38.8K CHF 32.0K

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

-1.82%

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

$336 CHF 277

$291 CHF 239

15.73%

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

$40.26 CHF 33.16

$45.30 CHF 37.31

-11.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 CHF 46.31

$64.5 CHF 53.1

-12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 CHF 48.39

$73.2 CHF 60.3

-19.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.82 CHF 24.56

$45.07 CHF 37.12

-33.84%

Cinema Ticket

$21.24 CHF 17.50

$22.43 CHF 18.47

-5.31%

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

$1,762 CHF 1,451

$2,924 CHF 2,408

-39.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.9K CHF 29.5K

$20.1K CHF 16.6K

78.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 CHF 83.0

$147 CHF 121

-31.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 CHF 46.97

$79.1 CHF 65.1

-27.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 CHF 131

$161 CHF 133

-1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 156

$197 CHF 162

-4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 CHF 1,293

$1,463 CHF 1,205

7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 CHF 1,181

$1,079 CHF 889

32.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 CHF 2,018

$3,904 CHF 3,215

-37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 CHF 1,792

$2,324 CHF 1,914

-6.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.6K CHF 16.9K

$16.2K CHF 13.4K

26.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.7K CHF 11.3K

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

12.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,808 CHF 5,607

$5,068 CHF 4,174

34.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

2.42

-4.55%

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

Last update for Fribourg: October 12, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fribourg

$1.4K 43.3%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$1.1K 36.4% 24.7% $354

Groceries & Markets

Fribourg

$536 16.2%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$575 19.4% 7.4% $39

Eating Out

Fribourg

$449 13.6%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$383 12.9% 14.8% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fribourg

$433 13.1%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$400 13.5% 7.5% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Fribourg

$228 6.9%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$263 8.9% 15.4% $35

Getting Around

Fribourg

$130 3.9%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$147 5% 12.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Fribourg

$101 3.1%

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$118 4% 16.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,570 in Fribourg versus $1,463 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 34% 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 $118 in Fribourg versus $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Groceries tell a different story – $536 in Fribourg vs $575 in La Chaux-de-Fonds – so Fribourg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Fribourg

🇨🇭 La Chaux-de-Fonds

🕒 Local time

10:50 10:50 AM

Same time as Fribourg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,485

39,027

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Fribourg La Chaux-de-Fonds 41 km

From you

Fribourg
La Chaux-de-Fonds

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 12% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $4,965 per month in Fribourg and $4,447 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 $1,762 per month in Fribourg and $2,924 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 $3,310 in Fribourg and $2,965 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 $2,965 versus $3,310 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.