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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,057 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,017 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,978 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 142% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Chaux-de-Fonds sits 127% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.34 CHF 19.32

$4.56 ฿149

433.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 CHF 68.2

$46.63 ฿1,519

84.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 14.89

$8.47 ฿276

121.49%

Cappuccino

$4.68 CHF 3.72

$3.03 ฿98.6

54.46%

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

$3.59 CHF 2.85

$0.69 ฿22.45

420.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 CHF 3.71

$0.37 ฿11.92

1162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 CHF 5.79

$2.49 ฿81.0

192.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CHF 4.78

$3.66 ฿119

64.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.83

$2.18 ฿71.0

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.11

$1.90 ฿62.0

105.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.56

$2.20 ฿71.6

103.64%

Eggs

$7.68 CHF 6.10

$2.22 ฿72.4

245.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.26 CHF 21.64

$19.99 ฿651

36.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.66 CHF 25.93

$3.66 ฿119

792.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.4 CHF 40.81

$13.25 ฿432

288.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.86

$3.23 ฿105

11.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.96

$1.70 ฿55.3

45.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.33

$2.39 ฿78.0

23.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.11

$2.08 ฿67.7

209.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.02

$1.59 ฿51.8

59.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$1.48 ฿48.31

62.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.00

$1.03 ฿33.54

144.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.06

$0.52 ฿16.83

155.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.77

$4.25 ฿138

159.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CHF 10.13

$18.79 ฿612

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.90

$1.76 ฿57.2

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 CHF 2.96

$2.76 ฿89.8

35.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CHF 2.51

$1.36 ฿44.32

133.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 126

$11.36 ฿370

1294.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.09

$3.14 ฿102

144.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.46 CHF 2.75

$1.04 ฿33.74

232.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.4 CHF 51.1

$13.77 ฿448

367.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$1.34 ฿43.79

69.40%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.5K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

43.55%

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

$50.2K CHF 39.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

48.25%

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

$265 CHF 210

$124 ฿4,025

114.40%

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

$48.76 CHF 38.71

$13.52 ฿440

260.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 CHF 49.45

$18.69 ฿609

233.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 60.6

$61.8 ฿2,013

23.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.21

$9.14 ฿298

164.77%

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

$3,065 CHF 2,434

$703 ฿22.9K

336.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K CHF 16.2K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

28.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$59.5 ฿1,937

134.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.4 CHF 63.0

$35.07 ฿1,142

126.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 CHF 127

$115 ฿3,754

39.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 CHF 169

$84.1 ฿2,737

152.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 CHF 1,169

$619 ฿20.1K

138.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 CHF 865

$433 ฿14.1K

151.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,981 CHF 3,160

$2,062 ฿67.2K

93.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 CHF 1,892

$1,511 ฿49.2K

57.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 14.8K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

410.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.5K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

402.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,225 CHF 4,148

$507 ฿16.5K

930.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

5.33

-53.85%

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,473 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $619 in Phuket. 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 930% higher in La Chaux-de-Fonds, 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 142% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,586 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,057 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,057. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Chaux-de-Fonds it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $3,057 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Chaux-de-Fonds makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.