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 $3,172 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $4,347 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,040 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $6,523 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,909 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $8,699 in Zurich, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is about 27% 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 137%, Zurich by 224%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.32 CHF 19.07

$30.22 CHF 23.69

-19.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 CHF 68.6

$149 CHF 116

-41.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.72 CHF 14.67

$21.17 CHF 16.59

-11.57%

Cappuccino

$4.82 CHF 3.78

$6.97 CHF 5.47

-30.85%

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

$3.64 CHF 2.86

$5.78 CHF 4.53

-37.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.68

$5.40 CHF 4.24

-13.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 CHF 5.75

$10.03 CHF 7.87

-26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 CHF 4.73

$8.58 CHF 6.72

-29.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.70

$2.14 CHF 1.68

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.98 CHF 3.12

$3.31 CHF 2.60

20.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CHF 3.51

$4.07 CHF 3.19

10.07%

Eggs

$7.50 CHF 5.88

$7.46 CHF 5.85

0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.03 CHF 21.19

$29.49 CHF 23.12

-8.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.08 CHF 25.94

$33.63 CHF 26.37

-1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.0 CHF 41.58

$49.90 CHF 39.12

6.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CHF 2.72

$4.02 CHF 3.16

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$2.83 CHF 2.22

-14.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.42

$3.00 CHF 2.35

3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.17 CHF 4.84

$5.22 CHF 4.09

18.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CHF 2.07

$2.79 CHF 2.19

-5.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.92

$2.28 CHF 1.79

7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.04

$2.54 CHF 1.99

2.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$1.65 CHF 1.30

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 8.70

$11.19 CHF 8.77

-0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CHF 9.87

$15.18 CHF 11.90

-17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 CHF 1.98

$2.60 CHF 2.04

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 CHF 2.97

$3.37 CHF 2.64

12.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CHF 2.37

$5.01 CHF 3.93

-39.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$161 CHF 127

$110 CHF 86.1

46.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 CHF 5.88

$7.60 CHF 5.96

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.53 CHF 2.76

$4.25 CHF 3.33

-16.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 CHF 50.3

$88.4 CHF 69.3

-27.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.79

$2.22 CHF 1.74

3.15%

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

$39.7K CHF 31.2K

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

-0.35%

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

$49.3K CHF 38.7K

$39.3K CHF 30.8K

25.68%

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

$263 CHF 206

$254 CHF 199

3.59%

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

$48.25 CHF 37.83

$35.48 CHF 27.81

35.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 CHF 49.82

$58.4 CHF 45.78

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.5 CHF 58.4

$90.7 CHF 71.1

-17.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.80 CHF 39.05

Cinema Ticket

$24.58 CHF 19.27

$24.62 CHF 19.30

-0.16%

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

$3,073 CHF 2,409

$3,356 CHF 2,631

-8.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K CHF 16.1K

$39.0K CHF 30.5K

-47.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 109

$138 CHF 108

0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.9 CHF 61.9

$61.7 CHF 48.37

27.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 CHF 126

$151 CHF 119

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$209 CHF 164

$205 CHF 161

2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 CHF 1,136

$2,780 CHF 2,180

-47.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 CHF 864

$2,227 CHF 1,746

-50.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,991 CHF 3,129

$4,989 CHF 3,911

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,911

$3,800 CHF 2,979

-35.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.1K CHF 11.8K

$25.3K CHF 19.8K

-40.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,461 CHF 7,418

$16.0K CHF 12.5K

-40.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,374 CHF 4,213

$8,622 CHF 6,760

-37.68%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Zurich: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,449 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $2,780 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 $87 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $149 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $675 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 Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 37% 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 $4,758 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $6,521 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 $87.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $149 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 $3,172 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,347 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 $3,172 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $4,347 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 $3,172 versus $4,347 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.