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 $3,152 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $4,229 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,964 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,508 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,775 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $8,786 in Zurich, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 25% 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 136%, Zurich by 217%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.25 CHF 19.79

$31.02 CHF 25.32

-21.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.8 CHF 71.7

$146 CHF 119

-39.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.37

$20.79 CHF 16.97

-9.43%

Cappuccino

$4.82 CHF 3.93

$6.71 CHF 5.47

-28.17%

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

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$6.13 CHF 5.00

-37.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 CHF 3.73

$5.29 CHF 4.32

-13.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 CHF 5.92

$10.00 CHF 8.16

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 CHF 4.99

$8.65 CHF 7.06

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.25

$3.41 CHF 2.79

17.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.53

$3.92 CHF 3.20

10.20%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 6.15

$7.54 CHF 6.16

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.57 CHF 21.68

$29.54 CHF 24.11

-10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.12 CHF 27.03

$33.89 CHF 27.66

-2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.5 CHF 42.07

$50.2 CHF 40.95

2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.89

$4.15 CHF 3.39

-14.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.07

$2.83 CHF 2.31

-10.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.49

$3.02 CHF 2.46

0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 CHF 5.24

$5.04 CHF 4.11

27.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 CHF 2.15

$2.74 CHF 2.24

-4.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.98

$2.30 CHF 1.87

5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.06

$2.45 CHF 2.00

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.12

$1.66 CHF 1.36

-16.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 CHF 9.12

$11.12 CHF 9.08

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 11.23

$13.75 CHF 11.22

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CHF 1.99

$2.74 CHF 2.24

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.04

$3.31 CHF 2.70

12.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$4.84 CHF 3.95

-37.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$156 CHF 128

$109 CHF 89.2

43.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 CHF 6.35

$7.64 CHF 6.24

1.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 CHF 2.98

$4.11 CHF 3.36

-11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.9 CHF 53.8

$87.4 CHF 71.3

-24.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.86

$2.25 CHF 1.84

1.33%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.4K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

-1.69%

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

$48.8K CHF 39.8K

$38.8K CHF 31.6K

25.83%

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

$257 CHF 210

$255 CHF 208

0.83%

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

$49.08 CHF 40.06

$35.92 CHF 29.32

36.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 CHF 50.9

$59.7 CHF 48.74

4.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 CHF 63.0

$89.3 CHF 72.9

-13.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.5 CHF 41.21

Cinema Ticket

$24.85 CHF 20.28

$24.36 CHF 19.88

2.01%

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

$3,139 CHF 2,562

$3,397 CHF 2,773

-7.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K CHF 16.7K

$39.5K CHF 32.3K

-48.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$142 CHF 116

-4.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.9 CHF 64.4

$60.7 CHF 49.51

30.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 CHF 133

$149 CHF 121

10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 CHF 174

$201 CHF 164

5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 CHF 1,215

$2,698 CHF 2,202

-44.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 CHF 883

$2,208 CHF 1,802

-50.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,873 CHF 3,161

$4,893 CHF 3,994

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,404 CHF 1,962

$3,760 CHF 3,069

-36.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$26.8K CHF 21.9K

-39.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,710

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

-28.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,201 CHF 4,245

$8,316 CHF 6,787

-37.46%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,488 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,698 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 60% 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 $88.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $146 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $673 vs $677 – 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 34% 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 $6,343 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 $88.0 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 $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,229 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 $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,229 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 $3,152 versus $4,229 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.