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 $3,143 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,565 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,986 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $5,676 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,828 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $7,788 in Lausanne, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 12% 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 135%, Lausanne by 166%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.98 CHF 19.69

$32.84 CHF 25.89

-23.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 CHF 67.0

$145 CHF 114

-41.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.29 CHF 14.42

$18.73 CHF 14.77

-2.35%

Cappuccino

$4.60 CHF 3.63

$6.07 CHF 4.79

-24.22%

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

$3.62 CHF 2.86

$5.59 CHF 4.41

-35.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 CHF 3.61

$4.70 CHF 3.71

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 CHF 5.78

$9.64 CHF 7.60

-23.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CHF 4.83

$8.41 CHF 6.63

-27.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.19 CHF 1.73

5.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.99

$4.17 CHF 3.29

-9.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.41

$4.48 CHF 3.53

-3.57%

Eggs

$7.38 CHF 5.82

$7.01 CHF 5.52

5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.39 CHF 21.59

$26.22 CHF 20.67

4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.78 CHF 26.63

$28.78 CHF 22.69

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.0 CHF 41.75

$52.0 CHF 40.97

1.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.79

$3.60 CHF 2.84

-1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$2.19 CHF 1.73

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 CHF 2.43

$2.95 CHF 2.32

4.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 CHF 4.90

$6.43 CHF 5.07

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.02

$2.51 CHF 1.98

2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.35 CHF 1.85

1.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.04

$2.49 CHF 1.96

4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$1.39 CHF 1.09

-4.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.65

$10.93 CHF 8.62

0.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CHF 9.86

$16.11 CHF 12.70

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$2.01 CHF 1.59

19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CHF 2.95

$3.20 CHF 2.52

16.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.10 CHF 2.44

$4.74 CHF 3.73

-34.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 125

$97.6 CHF 77.0

62.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 CHF 5.93

$7.98 CHF 6.29

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$3.26 CHF 2.57

11.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 51.7

$67.6 CHF 53.3

-3.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$2.15 CHF 1.70

2.33%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.5K

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

0.32%

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

$48.4K CHF 38.2K

$41.7K CHF 32.9K

16.06%

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

$257 CHF 203

$322 CHF 254

-20.18%

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

$48.20 CHF 38.00

$50.3 CHF 39.66

-4.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CHF 50.1

$57.6 CHF 45.42

10.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 CHF 60.8

$76.0 CHF 59.9

1.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.71 CHF 37.61

Cinema Ticket

$24.58 CHF 19.38

$26.56 CHF 20.94

-7.45%

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

$3,131 CHF 2,469

$2,763 CHF 2,178

13.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K CHF 16.5K

$34.4K CHF 27.1K

-39.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$110 CHF 86.9

25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.0 CHF 62.3

$70.2 CHF 55.4

12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 CHF 127

$149 CHF 117

7.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 CHF 166

$185 CHF 146

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CHF 1,151

$1,834 CHF 1,446

-20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 CHF 870

$1,486 CHF 1,172

-25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,903 CHF 3,077

$3,523 CHF 2,777

10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 CHF 1,877

$2,944 CHF 2,321

-19.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K CHF 10.4K

$19.6K CHF 15.4K

-32.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,930 CHF 7,829

$14.4K CHF 11.4K

-31.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,383 CHF 4,244

$7,571 CHF 5,969

-28.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.5

-1.60%

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 Lausanne: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,460 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $1,834 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 41% 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $145 in Lausanne. Groceries tell a different story – $677 in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $651 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 13% 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 $4,715 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $5,347 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $145 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 $3,143 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,565 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 $3,143 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,565 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 $3,143 versus $3,565 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.