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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,057 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $4,264 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,017 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,405 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,978 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $8,546 in Zurich, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 28% cheaper than Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both La Chaux-de-Fonds and Zurich sit above the global median – La Chaux-de-Fonds by 127%, Zurich by 217%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.34 CHF 19.45

$30.59 CHF 24.45

-20.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 CHF 68.7

$146 CHF 116

-41.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 15.00

$20.52 CHF 16.41

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$4.68 CHF 3.74

$6.99 CHF 5.59

-33.05%

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

$3.59 CHF 2.87

$6.08 CHF 4.86

-40.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 CHF 3.73

$5.28 CHF 4.22

-11.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 CHF 5.82

$9.91 CHF 7.92

-26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 CHF 4.81

$8.83 CHF 7.06

-31.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.84

$2.24 CHF 1.79

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.13

$3.29 CHF 2.63

18.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.58

$3.95 CHF 3.15

13.42%

Eggs

$7.68 CHF 6.14

$7.39 CHF 5.90

3.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.26 CHF 21.79

$30.07 CHF 24.03

-9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.66 CHF 26.10

$34.13 CHF 27.28

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.4 CHF 41.09

$50.9 CHF 40.71

0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.88

$4.23 CHF 3.38

-14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.97

$2.83 CHF 2.26

-12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

$3.01 CHF 2.41

-2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 CHF 5.14

$5.27 CHF 4.21

22.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.03

$2.82 CHF 2.25

-9.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.92

$2.34 CHF 1.87

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.01

$2.51 CHF 2.00

0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$1.72 CHF 1.37

-22.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 8.83

$10.87 CHF 8.69

1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CHF 10.19

$15.00 CHF 11.99

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.91

$2.71 CHF 2.17

-11.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 CHF 2.98

$3.24 CHF 2.59

15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CHF 2.53

$5.06 CHF 4.04

-37.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 127

$109 CHF 87.4

44.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.13

$7.88 CHF 6.30

-2.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.46 CHF 2.77

$4.30 CHF 3.43

-19.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.4 CHF 51.5

$88.5 CHF 70.7

-27.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.81

$2.32 CHF 1.85

-2.16%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.8K

$41.1K CHF 32.9K

-3.42%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.1K

$39.1K CHF 31.2K

28.46%

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

$265 CHF 212

$257 CHF 206

2.92%

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

$48.76 CHF 38.97

$35.13 CHF 28.08

38.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 CHF 49.79

$59.1 CHF 47.26

5.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 CHF 61.0

$89.0 CHF 71.2

-14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.87

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 19.34

$24.22 CHF 19.36

-0.08%

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

$3,065 CHF 2,450

$3,382 CHF 2,703

-9.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K CHF 16.3K

$38.9K CHF 31.1K

-47.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 112

$139 CHF 111

0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.4 CHF 63.4

$62.5 CHF 49.93

27.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 CHF 128

$146 CHF 117

9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 CHF 170

$198 CHF 159

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 CHF 1,177

$2,676 CHF 2,139

-44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 CHF 871

$2,185 CHF 1,746

-50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,981 CHF 3,182

$5,057 CHF 4,042

-21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 CHF 1,904

$3,718 CHF 2,971

-35.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 14.9K

$26.5K CHF 21.2K

-29.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K CHF 10.5K

$16.9K CHF 13.5K

-21.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,225 CHF 4,176

$8,547 CHF 6,832

-38.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

2.09

17.70%

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 Zurich: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,473 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,676 in Zurich. 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 64% higher in Zurich, 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 $146 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $685 – 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 Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 39% 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 $4,586 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $6,396 in Zurich. 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 $146 in Zurich. 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 $4,264 in Zurich. 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 $4,264 in Zurich. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Chaux-de-Fonds costs $3,057 versus $4,264 in Zurich. 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 La Chaux-de-Fonds. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.