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 $4,060 per month in Geneva vs $3,143 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,383 per month in Geneva vs $4,986 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,707 per month in Geneva vs $6,828 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Geneva costs about 29% 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 203%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.68 CHF 29.71

$24.98 CHF 19.69

50.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$85.0 CHF 67.0

76.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 CHF 14.69

$18.29 CHF 14.42

1.91%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$4.60 CHF 3.63

29.78%

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

$5.49 CHF 4.33

$3.62 CHF 2.86

51.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$4.58 CHF 3.61

7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.13 CHF 7.99

$7.33 CHF 5.78

38.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 6.73

$6.13 CHF 4.83

39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.30 CHF 1.82

-1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$3.79 CHF 2.99

2.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CHF 3.50

$4.32 CHF 3.41

2.78%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.00

$7.38 CHF 5.82

3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.53 CHF 20.92

$27.39 CHF 21.59

-3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.26 CHF 26.22

$33.78 CHF 26.63

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.45

$53.0 CHF 41.75

-0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.75

$3.53 CHF 2.79

-1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$2.46 CHF 1.94

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.42

$3.08 CHF 2.43

-0.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 4.93

$6.21 CHF 4.90

0.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.09

$2.57 CHF 2.02

3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.39 CHF 1.89

-2.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

$2.59 CHF 2.04

-0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$1.33 CHF 1.05

2.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.59

$10.97 CHF 8.65

-0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 CHF 10.13

$12.50 CHF 9.86

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$2.40 CHF 1.89

35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$3.74 CHF 2.95

-2.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.83

$3.10 CHF 2.44

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CHF 67.4

$158 CHF 125

-45.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.94

$7.52 CHF 5.93

0.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.7

$65.5 CHF 51.7

0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.20 CHF 1.73

1.36%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.3K

$41.2K CHF 32.5K

-0.45%

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

$48.7K CHF 38.4K

$48.4K CHF 38.2K

0.71%

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

$262 CHF 207

$257 CHF 203

1.89%

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

$47.82 CHF 37.70

$48.20 CHF 38.00

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CHF 49.87

$63.5 CHF 50.1

-0.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 CHF 62.7

$77.1 CHF 60.8

3.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.97 CHF 28.36

Cinema Ticket

$24.48 CHF 19.30

$24.58 CHF 19.38

-0.41%

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

$3,514 CHF 2,770

$3,131 CHF 2,469

12.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

$20.9K CHF 16.5K

56.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

-0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 64.4

$79.0 CHF 62.3

3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 128

$160 CHF 127

0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 169

$211 CHF 166

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 CHF 1,836

$1,460 CHF 1,151

59.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CHF 1,615

$1,104 CHF 870

85.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 CHF 3,651

$3,903 CHF 3,077

18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,922 CHF 3,092

$2,381 CHF 1,877

64.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

$13.1K CHF 10.4K

75.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$9,930 CHF 7,829

64.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,858 CHF 6,195

$5,383 CHF 4,244

46.00%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,329 in Geneva versus $1,460 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 46% 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $677 – 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 29%, 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 $6,090 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 0% 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 $85.0 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 $4,060 in Geneva and $3,143 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.