Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in La Chaux-de-Fonds: $2,952 a month against $3,139 in Schaffhausen, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in La Chaux-de-Fonds
Learn more

La Chaux-de-Fonds Living Index
150

Cost of Living Index in Schaffhausen
Learn more

Schaffhausen Living Index

Jump to prices

La Chaux-de-Fonds

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,952

/mo nomad

Schaffhausen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Schaffhausen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,952 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,139 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds $2,952
Schaffhausen $3,139

A couple spends around $4,738 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $5,010 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds $4,738
Schaffhausen $5,010

A family of three spends $6,524 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,882 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds $6,524
Schaffhausen $6,882

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 6% cheaper than Schaffhausen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – La Chaux-de-Fonds by 117%, Schaffhausen by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.18 CHF 20.04

$30.45 CHF 25.24

-20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 CHF 69.1

$122 CHF 101

-31.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.79 CHF 14.75

$18.19 CHF 15.08

-2.20%

Cappuccino

$4.54 CHF 3.76

$6.01 CHF 4.98

-24.46%

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

$3.54 CHF 2.94

$5.32 CHF 4.41

-33.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 CHF 3.80

$4.78 CHF 3.96

-3.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 CHF 6.16

$8.39 CHF 6.96

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.19 CHF 5.13

$7.11 CHF 5.89

-12.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.90

$2.16 CHF 1.79

6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 CHF 2.52

$4.00 CHF 3.32

-24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.72

$4.25 CHF 3.52

-22.82%

Eggs

$7.83 CHF 6.49

$7.81 CHF 6.47

0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.31 CHF 21.81

$27.90 CHF 23.13

-5.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.70 CHF 22.96

$30.45 CHF 25.24

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.41 CHF 34.32

$42.66 CHF 35.36

-2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.95

$3.84 CHF 3.18

-7.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.85

$2.07 CHF 1.72

7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.45

$3.17 CHF 2.63

-6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 CHF 3.94

$5.49 CHF 4.55

-13.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CHF 1.41

$2.38 CHF 1.97

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.66

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-6.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.31 CHF 1.91

-2.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.30

$1.16 CHF 0.96

35.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 9.20

$10.82 CHF 8.97

2.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 CHF 10.17

$12.00 CHF 9.94

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CHF 2.03

$2.89 CHF 2.40

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CHF 2.55

$3.59 CHF 2.97

-14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.35 CHF 3.61

$4.01 CHF 3.32

8.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 83.8

$98.0 CHF 81.2

3.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 CHF 6.70

$6.10 CHF 5.06

32.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.70 CHF 3.89

$2.86 CHF 2.37

64.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.6 CHF 71.8

$59.6 CHF 49.39

45.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.35 CHF 1.94

$2.22 CHF 1.84

5.86%

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

$39.8K CHF 33.0K

$38.4K CHF 31.8K

3.66%

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

$40.1K CHF 33.2K

$39.4K CHF 32.7K

1.72%

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

$289 CHF 240

$229 CHF 190

26.12%

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

$45.95 CHF 38.09

$28.98 CHF 24.02

58.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 CHF 52.1

$62.0 CHF 51.4

1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 CHF 61.0

$110 CHF 91.2

-33.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.67 CHF 38.69

$46.30 CHF 38.37

0.80%

Cinema Ticket

$22.60 CHF 18.73

$23.59 CHF 19.55

-4.20%

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

$2,918 CHF 2,419

$3,157 CHF 2,616

-7.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K CHF 17.0K

$24.5K CHF 20.3K

-16.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 119

$163 CHF 135

-11.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.8 CHF 64.5

$54.9 CHF 45.47

41.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 134

$172 CHF 142

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 166

$150 CHF 124

33.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 CHF 1,214

$1,272 CHF 1,054

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 CHF 873

$1,192 CHF 988

-11.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,857 CHF 3,197

$2,689 CHF 2,228

43.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,323 CHF 1,926

$2,317 CHF 1,921

0.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.8K CHF 13.9K

$8,110 CHF 6,723

107.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

$8,439 CHF 6,995

46.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,123 CHF 4,247

$7,148 CHF 5,925

-28.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.42

2.41

0.41%

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: October 24, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$1.1K 35.7%

Schaffhausen

$1.2K 38% 13.2% $139

Groceries & Markets

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$586 19.9%

Schaffhausen

$626 19.9% 6.8% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$398 13.5%

Schaffhausen

$320 10.2% 19.5% $78

Eating Out

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$383 13%

Schaffhausen

$467 14.9% 21.8% $83

Clothing & Footwear

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$263 8.9%

Schaffhausen

$243 7.7% 7.5% $20

Getting Around

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$150 5.1%

Schaffhausen

$134 4.3% 10.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

La Chaux-de-Fonds

$119 4%

Schaffhausen

$157 5% 32.4% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,465 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $1,272 in Schaffhausen. 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 40% higher in Schaffhausen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $122 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $586 vs $626 – making La Chaux-de-Fonds the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 La Chaux-de-Fonds

🇨🇭 Schaffhausen

🕒 Local time

12:08 12:08 PM

Same time as La Chaux-de-Fonds

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

39,027

35,927

💱 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

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

La Chaux-de-Fonds Schaffhausen 150 km

From you

La Chaux-de-Fonds
Schaffhausen

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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen costs about 6% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $4,427 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,709 in Schaffhausen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Schaffhausen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,272 there versus $1,465 in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $122 in Schaffhausen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,952 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,139 in Schaffhausen. That’s a gap of about 6%.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,952 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,139 in Schaffhausen. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. La Chaux-de-Fonds has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,952 in La Chaux-de-Fonds to $3,139 in Schaffhausen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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