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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,143 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $3,653 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,986 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $5,857 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,828 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $8,062 in Basel.

Living in La Chaux-de-Fonds costs roughly 14% less than in Basel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: La Chaux-de-Fonds 135% above, Basel 173% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.98 CHF 19.69

$30.72 CHF 24.22

-18.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 CHF 67.0

$156 CHF 123

-45.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.29 CHF 14.42

$19.37 CHF 15.27

-5.58%

Cappuccino

$4.60 CHF 3.63

$6.75 CHF 5.32

-31.85%

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

$3.62 CHF 2.86

$5.67 CHF 4.47

-36.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 CHF 3.61

$5.02 CHF 3.96

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 CHF 5.78

$10.09 CHF 7.95

-27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CHF 4.83

$7.45 CHF 5.87

-17.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.24 CHF 1.77

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.99

$3.73 CHF 2.94

1.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.41

$4.99 CHF 3.94

-13.43%

Eggs

$7.38 CHF 5.82

$8.16 CHF 6.44

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.39 CHF 21.59

$28.67 CHF 22.60

-4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.78 CHF 26.63

$35.93 CHF 28.33

-5.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.0 CHF 41.75

$43.12 CHF 34.00

22.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.79

$3.98 CHF 3.14

-11.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$2.60 CHF 2.05

-5.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 CHF 2.43

$4.24 CHF 3.35

-27.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 CHF 4.90

$6.96 CHF 5.49

-10.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.02

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.94 CHF 2.32

-18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.04

$2.51 CHF 1.98

3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$1.55 CHF 1.22

-14.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.65

$11.68 CHF 9.21

-6.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CHF 9.86

$13.81 CHF 10.89

-9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$2.39 CHF 1.88

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CHF 2.95

$3.16 CHF 2.49

18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.10 CHF 2.44

$4.58 CHF 3.61

-32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 125

$105 CHF 82.4

51.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 CHF 5.93

$7.99 CHF 6.30

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$4.31 CHF 3.40

-15.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 51.7

$87.2 CHF 68.8

-24.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$2.23 CHF 1.75

-1.35%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.5K

$40.4K CHF 31.9K

1.99%

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

$48.4K CHF 38.2K

$44.3K CHF 34.9K

9.22%

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

$257 CHF 203

$306 CHF 241

-16.02%

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

$48.20 CHF 38.00

$53.5 CHF 42.20

-9.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CHF 50.1

$58.9 CHF 46.40

7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 CHF 60.8

$90.3 CHF 71.2

-14.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.50 CHF 33.51

Cinema Ticket

$24.58 CHF 19.38

$22.72 CHF 17.91

8.19%

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

$3,131 CHF 2,469

$2,574 CHF 2,029

21.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K CHF 16.5K

$34.0K CHF 26.8K

-38.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$134 CHF 105

3.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.0 CHF 62.3

$88.3 CHF 69.6

-10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 CHF 127

$181 CHF 143

-11.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 CHF 166

$227 CHF 179

-7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CHF 1,151

$2,112 CHF 1,665

-30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 CHF 870

$1,519 CHF 1,197

-27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,903 CHF 3,077

$3,828 CHF 3,018

1.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 CHF 1,877

$2,802 CHF 2,209

-15.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K CHF 10.4K

$19.1K CHF 15.0K

-31.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,930 CHF 7,829

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

-30.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,383 CHF 4,244

$8,292 CHF 6,537

-35.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.55

-3.53%

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

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

Last update for Basel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,460 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $2,112 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 54% 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: $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $156 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $677 vs $685 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

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

La Chaux-de-Fonds wins on cost – living expenses run 16% 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.

On paper, Basel earns 54% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,460 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,112 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,131 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,574 in Basel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% 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 $3,143 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, La Chaux-de-Fonds and Basel 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 16% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.