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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,097 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,824 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,901 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $5,908 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,705 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $7,993 in Lausanne, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 19% cheaper than Lausanne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Lausanne sit above the global median – La Chaux-de-Fonds by 125%, Lausanne by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.23 CHF 20.51

$31.49 CHF 25.61

-19.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 CHF 72.0

$119 CHF 96.7

-25.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.81 CHF 15.30

$19.27 CHF 15.67

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-25.00%

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

$3.75 CHF 3.05

$5.28 CHF 4.30

-28.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.89

$4.09 CHF 3.32

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 CHF 5.94

$10.47 CHF 8.51

-30.18%

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

$2.28 CHF 1.86

4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CHF 2.55

$3.97 CHF 3.23

-20.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 CHF 2.69

$3.28 CHF 2.66

0.91%

Eggs

$7.71 CHF 6.27

$7.55 CHF 6.14

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.57 CHF 21.60

$24.73 CHF 20.10

7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.97 CHF 22.74

$28.61 CHF 23.26

-2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.27 CHF 35.18

$40.20 CHF 32.68

7.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.08

$3.68 CHF 2.99

2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.93

$2.10 CHF 1.71

12.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.44

$2.53 CHF 2.06

18.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 CHF 3.92

$4.55 CHF 3.70

5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$1.82 CHF 1.48

-18.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.03 CHF 1.65

14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$1.80 CHF 1.46

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.98

$11.19 CHF 9.10

-1.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 CHF 10.18

$15.68 CHF 12.75

-20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.97

$2.69 CHF 2.19

-10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CHF 2.52

$3.22 CHF 2.62

-3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.69

$4.55 CHF 3.70

-0.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CHF 83.5

$97.5 CHF 79.2

5.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 CHF 6.70

$7.82 CHF 6.36

5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.68 CHF 3.80

$4.74 CHF 3.85

-1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.9

0.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$2.36 CHF 1.92

-0.42%

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

$44.5K CHF 36.2K

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

-0.23%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.2K

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

2.04%

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

$298 CHF 242

$305 CHF 248

-2.16%

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

$52.8 CHF 42.92

$38.30 CHF 31.14

37.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 CHF 53.0

$51.6 CHF 41.91

26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 CHF 61.6

$74.1 CHF 60.3

2.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.04 CHF 38.24

$50.8 CHF 41.27

-7.33%

Cinema Ticket

$23.70 CHF 19.26

$24.97 CHF 20.30

-5.09%

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

$3,027 CHF 2,461

$3,045 CHF 2,476

-0.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K CHF 17.0K

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

-45.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$152 CHF 123

$144 CHF 117

5.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.8 CHF 66.5

$77.9 CHF 63.4

5.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$171 CHF 139

$141 CHF 114

21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 CHF 168

$224 CHF 182

-7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 CHF 1,203

$2,339 CHF 1,901

-36.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 CHF 905

$1,827 CHF 1,485

-39.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,032 CHF 3,278

$4,456 CHF 3,623

-9.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CHF 2,008

$3,317 CHF 2,696

-25.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.6K

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

-9.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.3K

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

-12.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,145 CHF 4,183

$6,938 CHF 5,640

-25.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

1.95

24.62%

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 Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,480 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,339 in Lausanne. 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 35% higher in Lausanne, 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 $89.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $119 in Lausanne. Groceries tell a different story – $599 in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $598 in Lausanne – so Lausanne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Lausanne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne costs about 23% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,646 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $5,736 in Lausanne. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $119 in Lausanne. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,097 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,824 in Lausanne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,097 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,824 in Lausanne. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Chaux-de-Fonds costs $3,097 versus $3,824 in Lausanne. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.