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: $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $3,606 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,011 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $5,819 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $8,033 in Basel.

Living in La Chaux-de-Fonds costs roughly 13% less than in Basel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: La Chaux-de-Fonds 135% above, Basel 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.88 CHF 20.11

$31.16 CHF 25.19

-20.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.0 CHF 69.5

$154 CHF 125

-44.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 14.96

$19.41 CHF 15.69

-4.64%

Cappuccino

$4.63 CHF 3.75

$6.73 CHF 5.44

-31.20%

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

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$5.46 CHF 4.42

-31.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 CHF 3.63

$5.21 CHF 4.21

-13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 CHF 5.86

$9.65 CHF 7.80

-24.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 5.09

$7.31 CHF 5.91

-13.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.06

$3.87 CHF 3.13

-2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CHF 3.58

$5.19 CHF 4.19

-14.64%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.97

$7.82 CHF 6.33

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.69

$28.51 CHF 23.05

-5.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.57 CHF 27.14

$36.76 CHF 29.72

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.2 CHF 42.23

$44.22 CHF 35.75

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.88

$3.91 CHF 3.16

-8.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$2.74 CHF 2.21

-8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.39

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-29.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 CHF 5.00

$6.99 CHF 5.65

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-20.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-21.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$2.52 CHF 2.04

3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.10

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-8.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.81

$11.83 CHF 9.56

-7.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 CHF 10.03

$13.68 CHF 11.06

-9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.01

$3.04 CHF 2.46

22.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$4.76 CHF 3.85

-36.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$160 CHF 130

$105 CHF 85.0

52.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CHF 6.18

$7.92 CHF 6.41

-3.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$4.36 CHF 3.52

-19.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 53.0

$87.4 CHF 70.7

-24.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.20 CHF 1.78

2.73%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

-1.91%

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

$48.4K CHF 39.1K

$45.1K CHF 36.5K

7.15%

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

$257 CHF 207

$302 CHF 244

-15.07%

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

$48.14 CHF 38.92

$54.0 CHF 43.66

-10.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 CHF 51.6

$58.9 CHF 47.60

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$90.9 CHF 73.5

-17.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 CHF 33.46

Cinema Ticket

$24.67 CHF 19.95

$23.17 CHF 18.73

6.47%

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

$3,023 CHF 2,444

$2,533 CHF 2,048

19.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

-38.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$135 CHF 110

1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.6 CHF 65.2

$87.6 CHF 70.9

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$180 CHF 145

-8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$208 CHF 168

$230 CHF 186

-9.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,204

$2,103 CHF 1,701

-29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 CHF 865

$1,511 CHF 1,222

-29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 CHF 3,225

$3,742 CHF 3,025

6.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CHF 1,915

$2,829 CHF 2,288

-16.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

-6.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K CHF 9,134

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-22.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,195 CHF 4,200

$7,175 CHF 5,801

-27.60%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $2,103 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 38% 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: $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $154 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $671 vs $692 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 15% 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, salaries run 38% lower in Basel. 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: $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,103 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,023 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,533 in Basel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $3,144 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 15% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.