Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in La Chaux-de-Fonds: $2,965 a month against $4,051 in Geneva, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in La Chaux-de-Fonds
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La Chaux-de-Fonds Living Index
197

Cost of Living Index in Geneva
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Geneva Living Index

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La Chaux-de-Fonds

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,965

/mo nomad

Geneva

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,051

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in La Chaux-de-Fonds and in Geneva

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and in Geneva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,965 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $4,051 in Geneva, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds $2,965
Geneva $4,051

A couple spends around $4,731 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,137 in Geneva, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds $4,731
Geneva $6,137

A family of three spends $6,498 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $8,222 in Geneva, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds $6,498
Geneva $8,222

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 27% cheaper than Geneva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Geneva sit above the global median – La Chaux-de-Fonds by 120%, Geneva by 200%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.06 CHF 19.81

$30.11 CHF 24.80

-20.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 CHF 69.8

$132 CHF 108

-35.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.02 CHF 14.84

$18.29 CHF 15.06

-1.48%

Cappuccino

$4.67 CHF 3.85

$6.12 CHF 5.04

-23.69%

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

$3.55 CHF 2.93

$4.69 CHF 3.86

-24.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 CHF 3.69

$4.25 CHF 3.50

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 CHF 5.98

$9.69 CHF 7.98

-25.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CHF 4.82

$9.65 CHF 7.95

-39.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$2.25 CHF 1.85

-3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 CHF 2.45

$3.36 CHF 2.77

-11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.65

$3.40 CHF 2.80

-5.29%

Eggs

$7.74 CHF 6.37

$7.86 CHF 6.47

-1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.32 CHF 20.85

$24.91 CHF 20.52

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.73 CHF 22.01

$29.00 CHF 23.88

-7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.67 CHF 34.32

$41.83 CHF 34.45

-0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 3.01

$3.56 CHF 2.93

2.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.93

$1.64 CHF 1.35

43.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 CHF 2.41

$2.69 CHF 2.21

8.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 CHF 3.70

$4.76 CHF 3.92

-5.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 CHF 1.37

$1.62 CHF 1.34

2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.57

$2.15 CHF 1.77

-11.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.85

$2.21 CHF 1.82

1.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CHF 1.28

$1.59 CHF 1.31

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 9.03

$10.98 CHF 9.05

-0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 CHF 9.85

$11.85 CHF 9.76

0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 2.01

$3.08 CHF 2.54

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CHF 2.47

$3.31 CHF 2.73

-9.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.63 CHF 3.81

$3.70 CHF 3.04

25.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CHF 80.8

$90.4 CHF 74.5

8.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 CHF 6.36

$7.49 CHF 6.17

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.46 CHF 3.68

$3.94 CHF 3.25

13.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.5 CHF 69.6

$62.5 CHF 51.5

35.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.94

$2.30 CHF 1.89

2.17%

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

$42.9K CHF 35.4K

$37.9K CHF 31.2K

13.14%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

$38.2K CHF 31.5K

3.53%

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

$291 CHF 239

$281 CHF 231

3.49%

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

$45.30 CHF 37.31

$36.24 CHF 29.85

25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 CHF 53.1

$57.8 CHF 47.62

11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.2 CHF 60.3

$75.9 CHF 62.5

-3.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.07 CHF 37.12

$44.57 CHF 36.71

1.12%

Cinema Ticket

$22.43 CHF 18.47

$23.65 CHF 19.48

-5.16%

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

$2,924 CHF 2,408

$2,349 CHF 1,935

24.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K CHF 16.6K

$35.0K CHF 28.8K

-42.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 121

$137 CHF 113

7.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.1 CHF 65.1

$79.4 CHF 65.4

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 CHF 133

$163 CHF 134

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$197 CHF 162

$185 CHF 152

6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 CHF 1,205

$2,816 CHF 2,320

-48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 CHF 889

$2,103 CHF 1,732

-48.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,904 CHF 3,215

$4,789 CHF 3,945

-18.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CHF 1,914

$3,670 CHF 3,023

-36.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.4K

$22.3K CHF 18.4K

-27.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$15.7K CHF 12.9K

-21.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,068 CHF 4,174

$7,268 CHF 5,986

-30.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.42

1.98

22.22%

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: October 12, 2026

Last update for Geneva: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$1.1K 36.4%

Geneva

$2.1K 51.9% 94.8% $1K

Groceries & Markets

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$575 19.4%

Geneva

$591 14.6% 2.8% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$400 13.5%

Geneva

$375 9.3% 6.4% $26

Eating Out

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$383 12.9%

Geneva

$473 11.7% 23.5% $90

Clothing & Footwear

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$263 8.9%

Geneva

$254 6.3% 3.3% $8.7

Getting Around

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$147 5%

Geneva

$132 3.3% 9.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$118 4%

Geneva

$123 3% 4.4% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,463 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,816 in Geneva. 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 43% 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $132 in Geneva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $575 vs $591 – making La Chaux-de-Fonds the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 La Chaux-de-Fonds

🇨🇭 Geneva

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

Same time as La Chaux-de-Fonds

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

39,027

191,557

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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La Chaux-de-Fonds Geneva 110 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Geneva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,447 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $6,077 in Geneva. 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 3% 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $132 in Geneva. 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 $2,965 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,051 in Geneva. 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.