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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,080 per month in Geneva vs $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,404 per month in Geneva vs $5,011 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,728 per month in Geneva vs $6,877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Geneva costs about 30% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Geneva and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.40 CHF 29.49

$24.88 CHF 20.15

46.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$86.0 CHF 69.6

74.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 CHF 14.69

$18.51 CHF 14.99

-2.00%

Cappuccino

$5.76 CHF 4.67

$4.63 CHF 3.75

24.41%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.44

$3.73 CHF 3.02

46.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.87

$4.49 CHF 3.64

6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 CHF 8.14

$7.25 CHF 5.87

38.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 CHF 7.10

$6.29 CHF 5.09

39.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.17 CHF 1.76

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$3.78 CHF 3.06

3.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.60

$4.43 CHF 3.59

0.45%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.12

$7.39 CHF 5.98

2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.73

$26.83 CHF 21.74

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.39 CHF 27.04

$33.57 CHF 27.19

-0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.3 CHF 42.32

$52.2 CHF 42.31

0.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$3.56 CHF 2.89

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.51 CHF 2.04

-0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.51

$2.95 CHF 2.39

4.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.15

$6.18 CHF 5.01

2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.14

$2.60 CHF 2.11

1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-1.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.08

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.37 CHF 1.11

-2.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.82

$10.90 CHF 8.83

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CHF 9.78

$12.40 CHF 10.05

-2.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$2.41 CHF 1.95

34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 3.04

$3.72 CHF 3.01

0.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$3.04 CHF 2.46

22.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.4

$160 CHF 130

-46.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 CHF 5.99

$7.64 CHF 6.19

-3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.87

$3.53 CHF 2.86

0.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 52.6

$65.5 CHF 53.1

-0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-3.10%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-0.64%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.7K

$48.4K CHF 39.2K

3.86%

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

$261 CHF 211

$257 CHF 208

1.68%

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

$48.55 CHF 39.32

$48.14 CHF 38.99

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.1

$63.8 CHF 51.7

0.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 64.8

$75.0 CHF 60.8

6.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.21

Cinema Ticket

$24.25 CHF 19.64

$24.67 CHF 19.99

-1.70%

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

$3,487 CHF 2,824

$3,023 CHF 2,449

15.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.0K

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

60.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$137 CHF 111

1.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 65.5

$80.6 CHF 65.3

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 174

$208 CHF 169

3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CHF 1,910

$1,489 CHF 1,206

58.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 CHF 1,659

$1,069 CHF 866

91.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,672 CHF 3,785

$3,989 CHF 3,231

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 CHF 3,153

$2,369 CHF 1,919

64.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.9K

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

25.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$11.3K CHF 9,151

44.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,277 CHF 5,894

$5,195 CHF 4,208

40.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

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

Last update for Geneva: July 13, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Geneva versus $1,489 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 40% higher in Geneva, 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 $150 in Geneva versus $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $671 – making La Chaux-de-Fonds the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,120 per month in Geneva and $4,715 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.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $150 in Geneva and $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,080 in Geneva and $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward La Chaux-de-Fonds – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.