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 $3,144 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,619 in Lausanne, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,011 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $5,781 in Lausanne, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,877 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $7,944 in Lausanne, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 13% 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 171%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.88 CHF 20.11

$32.44 CHF 26.23

-23.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.0 CHF 69.5

$148 CHF 119

-41.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 14.96

$19.05 CHF 15.40

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$4.63 CHF 3.75

$5.90 CHF 4.77

-21.53%

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

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$5.41 CHF 4.38

-31.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 CHF 3.63

$4.92 CHF 3.97

-8.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 CHF 5.86

$10.12 CHF 8.18

-28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 5.09

$8.85 CHF 7.16

-28.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.06

$4.09 CHF 3.31

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CHF 3.58

$4.37 CHF 3.53

1.37%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.97

$7.37 CHF 5.96

0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.69

$26.35 CHF 21.31

1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.57 CHF 27.14

$28.58 CHF 23.11

17.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.2 CHF 42.23

$53.2 CHF 42.99

-1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.88

$3.80 CHF 3.07

-6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$2.15 CHF 1.74

16.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.39

$2.89 CHF 2.34

2.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 CHF 5.00

$6.62 CHF 5.35

-6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$2.43 CHF 1.97

7.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$2.53 CHF 2.04

2.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.10

$1.40 CHF 1.14

-2.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.81

$11.03 CHF 8.92

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 CHF 10.03

$15.39 CHF 12.44

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.10 CHF 1.69

14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.01

$3.27 CHF 2.64

13.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$4.83 CHF 3.90

-37.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$160 CHF 130

$96.1 CHF 77.7

66.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CHF 6.18

$7.67 CHF 6.20

-0.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$3.42 CHF 2.77

3.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 53.0

$66.1 CHF 53.5

-0.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.18 CHF 1.76

3.67%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

1.02%

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

$48.4K CHF 39.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

18.95%

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

$257 CHF 207

$331 CHF 267

-22.36%

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

$48.14 CHF 38.92

$50.0 CHF 40.44

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 CHF 51.6

$57.7 CHF 46.68

10.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$78.4 CHF 63.4

-4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.18

Cinema Ticket

$24.67 CHF 19.95

$26.35 CHF 21.31

-6.38%

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

$3,023 CHF 2,444

$2,843 CHF 2,298

6.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

-40.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$110 CHF 89.0

24.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.6 CHF 65.2

$69.2 CHF 55.9

16.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$153 CHF 124

8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$208 CHF 168

$184 CHF 149

13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,204

$1,834 CHF 1,483

-18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 CHF 865

$1,476 CHF 1,193

-27.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 CHF 3,225

$3,654 CHF 2,954

9.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CHF 1,915

$2,979 CHF 2,408

-20.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

$18.6K CHF 15.0K

-5.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K CHF 9,134

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

-20.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,195 CHF 4,200

$6,512 CHF 5,265

-20.23%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,489 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 25% 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 $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $148 in Lausanne. Groceries tell a different story – $671 in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $655 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 15% 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 $5,429 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 $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $148 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 $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,619 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 $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,619 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 $3,144 versus $3,619 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.