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 $3,057 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,132 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,017 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $4,926 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,978 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,720 in Schaffhausen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 2% cheaper than Schaffhausen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Schaffhausen sit above the global median – La Chaux-de-Fonds by 127%, Schaffhausen by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.34 CHF 19.45

$30.39 CHF 24.29

-19.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 CHF 68.7

$124 CHF 99.4

-30.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 15.00

$15.82 CHF 12.65

18.58%

Cappuccino

$4.68 CHF 3.74

$5.42 CHF 4.33

-13.65%

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

$3.59 CHF 2.87

$5.36 CHF 4.28

-33.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 CHF 3.73

$4.37 CHF 3.49

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 CHF 5.82

$7.95 CHF 6.36

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CHF 4.81

$7.35 CHF 5.88

-18.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.84

$1.96 CHF 1.57

17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.13

$3.77 CHF 3.01

3.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.58

$3.61 CHF 2.88

24.10%

Eggs

$7.68 CHF 6.14

$7.87 CHF 6.29

-2.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.26 CHF 21.79

$29.45 CHF 23.54

-7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.66 CHF 26.10

$35.04 CHF 28.01

-6.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.4 CHF 41.09

$51.8 CHF 41.39

-0.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.88

$3.68 CHF 2.94

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.97

$2.33 CHF 1.86

6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.14

$6.14 CHF 4.91

4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.03

$2.42 CHF 1.94

4.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.92

$2.49 CHF 1.99

-3.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.01

$2.56 CHF 2.05

-1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.28 CHF 1.02

3.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.83

$10.97 CHF 8.77

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CHF 10.19

$12.33 CHF 9.85

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.91

$1.37 CHF 1.09

74.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 CHF 2.98

$2.71 CHF 2.16

37.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CHF 2.53

$3.98 CHF 3.18

-20.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 127

$87.3 CHF 69.7

81.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.13

$10.15 CHF 8.11

-24.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.46 CHF 2.77

$3.89 CHF 3.11

-11.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.4 CHF 51.5

$60.6 CHF 48.41

6.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.81

$2.21 CHF 1.76

2.71%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.8K

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

-1.40%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.1K

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

17.80%

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

$265 CHF 212

$247 CHF 197

7.37%

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

$48.76 CHF 38.97

$28.92 CHF 23.11

68.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 CHF 49.79

$43.93 CHF 35.11

41.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 61.0

$109 CHF 87.2

-30.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.34

$22.53 CHF 18.01

7.41%

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

$3,065 CHF 2,450

$3,388 CHF 2,708

-9.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K CHF 16.3K

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

-51.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 112

$111 CHF 89.1

25.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.4 CHF 63.4

$66.4 CHF 53.1

19.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 CHF 128

$129 CHF 103

23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 CHF 170

$155 CHF 124

36.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 CHF 1,177

$1,216 CHF 972

21.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 CHF 871

$1,222 CHF 977

-10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,981 CHF 3,182

$2,692 CHF 2,152

47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 CHF 1,904

$2,197 CHF 1,756

8.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 14.9K

$8,390 CHF 6,706

121.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.5K

$6,769 CHF 5,410

94.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,225 CHF 4,176

$9,336 CHF 7,463

-44.04%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,473 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $1,216 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 79% 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 $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $124 in Schaffhausen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $672 – 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 2% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $4,699 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 $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $124 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 $3,057 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,132 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 $3,057 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $3,132 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.