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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,619 per month in Lausanne vs $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,781 per month in Lausanne vs $5,011 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,944 per month in Lausanne vs $6,877 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 15% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lausanne and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Lausanne by 171%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.44 CHF 26.28

$24.88 CHF 20.15

30.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$86.0 CHF 69.6

71.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.05 CHF 15.43

$18.51 CHF 14.99

2.92%

Cappuccino

$5.90 CHF 4.78

$4.63 CHF 3.75

27.43%

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

$5.41 CHF 4.38

$3.73 CHF 3.02

45.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$4.49 CHF 3.64

9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.19

$7.25 CHF 5.87

39.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.17

$6.29 CHF 5.09

40.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.17 CHF 1.76

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.78 CHF 3.06

8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 CHF 3.54

$4.43 CHF 3.59

-1.35%

Eggs

$7.37 CHF 5.97

$7.39 CHF 5.98

-0.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$26.83 CHF 21.74

-1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.58 CHF 23.15

$33.57 CHF 27.19

-14.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.2 CHF 43.07

$52.2 CHF 42.31

1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.08

$3.56 CHF 2.89

6.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.74

$2.51 CHF 2.04

-14.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.95 CHF 2.39

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.62 CHF 5.36

$6.18 CHF 5.01

7.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.60 CHF 2.11

-6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.35 CHF 1.91

2.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$2.60 CHF 2.10

-2.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CHF 1.14

$1.37 CHF 1.11

2.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 8.94

$10.90 CHF 8.83

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 CHF 12.47

$12.40 CHF 10.05

24.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$3.72 CHF 3.01

-12.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.83 CHF 3.91

$3.04 CHF 2.46

58.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.1 CHF 77.8

$160 CHF 130

-40.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.21

$7.64 CHF 6.19

0.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$3.53 CHF 2.86

-3.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 53.6

$65.5 CHF 53.1

0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-3.54%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.1K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

-1.01%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$48.4K CHF 39.2K

-15.93%

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

$331 CHF 268

$257 CHF 208

28.81%

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

$50.0 CHF 40.52

$48.14 CHF 38.99

3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.77

$63.8 CHF 51.7

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 CHF 63.5

$75.0 CHF 60.8

4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.46 CHF 39.25

Cinema Ticket

$26.35 CHF 21.35

$24.67 CHF 19.99

6.81%

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

$2,843 CHF 2,303

$3,023 CHF 2,449

-5.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.6K CHF 28.0K

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

66.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$137 CHF 111

-19.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 CHF 56.0

$80.6 CHF 65.3

-14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 CHF 124

$165 CHF 134

-7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 149

$208 CHF 169

-11.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CHF 1,486

$1,489 CHF 1,206

23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,195

$1,069 CHF 866

38.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,654 CHF 2,960

$3,989 CHF 3,231

-8.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 CHF 2,413

$2,369 CHF 1,919

25.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

5.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.5K

$11.3K CHF 9,151

25.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,512 CHF 5,275

$5,195 CHF 4,208

25.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.46

1.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lausanne: July 12, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,834 in Lausanne versus $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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 25% higher in Lausanne, 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 $148 in Lausanne versus $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Groceries tell a different story – $655 in Lausanne vs $671 in La Chaux-de-Fonds – so Lausanne wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Lausanne vs La Chaux-de-Fonds: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne costs about 15% 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 $5,429 per month in Lausanne and $4,715 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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 $148 in Lausanne and $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,619 in Lausanne and $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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 $3,619 in Lausanne and $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. 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 $3,144 versus $3,619 in Lausanne. 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, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.