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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,063 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,151 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,852 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $5,139 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,641 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $7,126 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 3% cheaper than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – La Chaux-de-Fonds by 122%, Schaffhausen by 129%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.87 CHF 20.30

$31.20 CHF 25.46

-20.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 CHF 69.5

$121 CHF 99.0

-29.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.84 CHF 15.38

$18.87 CHF 15.40

-0.16%

Cappuccino

$4.72 CHF 3.85

$5.75 CHF 4.69

-17.91%

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

$3.74 CHF 3.05

$5.47 CHF 4.47

-31.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 CHF 3.86

$4.99 CHF 4.07

-5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.39 CHF 6.03

$8.73 CHF 7.13

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CHF 4.94

$7.46 CHF 6.09

-18.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.85

$2.21 CHF 1.81

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CHF 2.62

$4.15 CHF 3.38

-22.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.66

$4.36 CHF 3.55

-25.23%

Eggs

$7.97 CHF 6.51

$7.84 CHF 6.40

1.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.29 CHF 21.46

$28.35 CHF 23.14

-7.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.42 CHF 22.38

$32.11 CHF 26.20

-14.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.24 CHF 34.48

$43.79 CHF 35.74

-3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 CHF 2.92

$3.92 CHF 3.20

-8.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.19 CHF 1.79

5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.46

$3.17 CHF 2.59

-4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 CHF 3.93

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.44

$2.52 CHF 2.05

-30.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.66

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-9.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.46 CHF 2.00

-6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CHF 1.34

$1.25 CHF 1.02

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.17

$11.23 CHF 9.17

0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 CHF 9.90

$13.72 CHF 11.20

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$3.04 CHF 2.48

-18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$3.97 CHF 3.24

-23.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.40 CHF 3.59

$3.95 CHF 3.22

11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 CHF 81.6

$99.4 CHF 81.1

0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 CHF 6.64

$6.26 CHF 5.11

30.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.80 CHF 3.91

$3.81 CHF 3.11

25.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.9

$61.5 CHF 50.2

41.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.85

$2.22 CHF 1.81

1.80%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-0.09%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-1.08%

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

$298 CHF 244

$228 CHF 186

31.13%

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

$54.2 CHF 44.22

$31.99 CHF 26.11

69.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CHF 53.9

$64.0 CHF 52.2

3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.4 CHF 62.3

$112 CHF 91.1

-31.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.09 CHF 35.98

$46.98 CHF 38.34

-6.15%

Cinema Ticket

$23.35 CHF 19.05

$23.97 CHF 19.56

-2.59%

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

$2,984 CHF 2,436

$3,228 CHF 2,634

-7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K CHF 16.8K

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

-38.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 119

$170 CHF 138

-13.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.7 CHF 65.9

$54.9 CHF 44.83

46.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 135

$193 CHF 157

-13.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 CHF 167

$157 CHF 128

30.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 CHF 1,211

$1,362 CHF 1,112

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 CHF 902

$1,200 CHF 980

-7.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,017 CHF 3,278

$2,710 CHF 2,212

48.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 CHF 1,969

$2,411 CHF 1,967

0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.0K CHF 13.9K

$8,369 CHF 6,830

103.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,345

$8,438 CHF 6,886

35.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,259 CHF 4,292

$7,296 CHF 5,954

-27.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

2.48

-2.02%

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: September 5, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,483 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $1,362 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 39% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $121 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $591 vs $651 – making La Chaux-de-Fonds 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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaffhausen costs about 3% 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 $4,595 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,727 in Schaffhausen. 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 $121 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 $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,151 in Schaffhausen. 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 $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,151 in Schaffhausen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward La Chaux-de-Fonds – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.