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: $3,097 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $3,566 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,901 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $5,581 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,705 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $7,595 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 125% above, Basel 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.23 CHF 20.51

$29.61 CHF 24.07

-14.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 CHF 72.0

$128 CHF 104

-30.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.81 CHF 15.30

$18.47 CHF 15.01

1.84%

Cappuccino

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$6.76 CHF 5.50

-29.88%

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

$3.75 CHF 3.05

$6.33 CHF 5.14

-40.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.89

$6.15 CHF 5.00

-22.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 CHF 5.94

$8.91 CHF 7.24

-17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 CHF 4.95

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-38.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$2.34 CHF 1.90

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CHF 2.55

$3.22 CHF 2.61

-2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 CHF 2.69

$3.36 CHF 2.73

-1.49%

Eggs

$7.71 CHF 6.27

$8.03 CHF 6.53

-3.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.57 CHF 21.60

$26.94 CHF 21.90

-1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.97 CHF 22.74

$27.83 CHF 22.63

0.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.27 CHF 35.18

$41.82 CHF 34.00

3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.08

$3.60 CHF 2.93

5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.93

$2.35 CHF 1.91

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.44

$3.12 CHF 2.54

-3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 CHF 3.92

$4.84 CHF 3.93

-0.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$1.73 CHF 1.40

-13.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

$2.07 CHF 1.68

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$1.63 CHF 1.33

1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.98

$11.39 CHF 9.26

-3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 CHF 10.18

$12.41 CHF 10.09

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.97

$2.62 CHF 2.13

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.52

$3.21 CHF 2.61

-3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.69

$4.60 CHF 3.74

-1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 83.5

$108 CHF 88.2

-5.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 CHF 6.70

$8.16 CHF 6.63

0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.68 CHF 3.80

$4.67 CHF 3.80

0.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.9

$85.9 CHF 69.8

2.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$2.27 CHF 1.85

3.52%

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

$44.5K CHF 36.2K

$43.8K CHF 35.6K

1.60%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.2K

$39.8K CHF 32.4K

2.76%

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

$298 CHF 242

$304 CHF 247

-1.83%

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

$52.8 CHF 42.92

$54.2 CHF 44.05

-2.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 CHF 53.0

$64.7 CHF 52.6

0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 CHF 61.6

$83.3 CHF 67.7

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.04 CHF 38.24

$58.5 CHF 47.56

-19.59%

Cinema Ticket

$23.70 CHF 19.26

$23.78 CHF 19.34

-0.34%

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

$3,027 CHF 2,461

$3,055 CHF 2,484

-0.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K CHF 17.0K

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

-35.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$152 CHF 123

$147 CHF 120

3.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.8 CHF 66.5

$81.7 CHF 66.4

0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$171 CHF 139

$166 CHF 135

2.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 CHF 168

$206 CHF 167

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 CHF 1,203

$2,095 CHF 1,703

-29.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 CHF 905

$1,529 CHF 1,243

-27.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,032 CHF 3,278

$3,547 CHF 2,884

13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CHF 2,008

$2,865 CHF 2,329

-13.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.6K

$18.2K CHF 14.8K

-8.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

$14.8K CHF 12.1K

-14.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,145 CHF 4,183

$7,405 CHF 6,020

-30.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: August 30, 2026

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,480 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $2,095 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 44% 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: $89.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $128 in Basel. Groceries flip the comparison at $599 vs $598, with Basel cheaper for home cooking.

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 44% 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: $1,480 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,095 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,027 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $3,055 in Basel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Basel pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 $3,097 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.