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 $3,152 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,172 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,964 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $4,928 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,775 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,685 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 1% 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 136%, Schaffhausen by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.25 CHF 19.79

$31.30 CHF 25.55

-22.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.8 CHF 71.7

$122 CHF 99.4

-27.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.37

$16.11 CHF 13.15

16.88%

Cappuccino

$4.82 CHF 3.93

$5.68 CHF 4.63

-15.14%

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

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$5.36 CHF 4.37

-28.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 CHF 3.73

$4.37 CHF 3.57

4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 CHF 5.92

$7.99 CHF 6.52

-9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 CHF 4.99

$7.57 CHF 6.18

-19.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$1.96 CHF 1.60

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.25

$3.78 CHF 3.09

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$3.69 CHF 3.01

17.07%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 6.15

$7.84 CHF 6.40

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.57 CHF 21.68

$29.80 CHF 24.32

-10.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.12 CHF 27.03

$35.49 CHF 28.97

-6.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.5 CHF 42.07

$51.0 CHF 41.59

1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.89

$3.69 CHF 3.01

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.07

$2.26 CHF 1.84

12.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.49

$2.88 CHF 2.35

5.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 CHF 5.24

$6.10 CHF 4.98

5.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.15

$2.49 CHF 2.03

5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.98

$2.48 CHF 2.03

-2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.06

$2.67 CHF 2.18

-5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.12

$1.27 CHF 1.04

8.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 CHF 9.12

$10.94 CHF 8.93

2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 11.23

$13.42 CHF 10.95

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.99

$1.36 CHF 1.11

79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.04

$2.60 CHF 2.12

43.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$3.95 CHF 3.22

-23.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$156 CHF 128

$85.7 CHF 69.9

82.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 CHF 6.35

$10.05 CHF 8.20

-22.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 CHF 2.98

$4.04 CHF 3.30

-9.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.9 CHF 53.8

$61.9 CHF 50.5

6.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.86

$2.13 CHF 1.74

7.04%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

-0.12%

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

$48.8K CHF 39.8K

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

14.93%

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

$257 CHF 210

$247 CHF 202

4.08%

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

$49.08 CHF 40.06

$28.70 CHF 23.42

71.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CHF 50.9

$42.94 CHF 35.05

45.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 CHF 63.0

$109 CHF 88.6

-28.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.47 CHF 38.74

Cinema Ticket

$24.85 CHF 20.28

$22.34 CHF 18.24

11.24%

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

$3,139 CHF 2,562

$3,354 CHF 2,738

-6.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K CHF 16.7K

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

-52.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$112 CHF 91.4

21.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.9 CHF 64.4

$67.7 CHF 55.2

16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 CHF 133

$133 CHF 109

22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 CHF 174

$154 CHF 126

37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 CHF 1,215

$1,226 CHF 1,001

21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 CHF 883

$1,247 CHF 1,018

-13.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,873 CHF 3,161

$2,660 CHF 2,171

45.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,404 CHF 1,962

$2,215 CHF 1,808

8.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$8,226 CHF 6,714

98.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,710

$8,564 CHF 6,990

38.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,201 CHF 4,245

$7,453 CHF 6,083

-30.22%

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 21, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,488 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $1,226 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 43% 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 $88.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $122 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $673 vs $675 – 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 1% 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 $4,728 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,758 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 $88.0 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 $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,172 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 $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,172 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.