Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuchatel and Solothurn Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuchatel and Solothurn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,319 in Neuchatel versus $2,830 in Solothurn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,063 in Neuchatel versus $4,520 in Solothurn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,807 in Neuchatel versus $6,211 in Solothurn.

Living in Neuchatel is roughly 17% more expensive than in Solothurn, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Neuchatel 148% above, Solothurn 112% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.85 CHF 20.05

$31.23 CHF 25.20

-20.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 CHF 80.7

$144 CHF 116

-30.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.27 CHF 16.36

$21.30 CHF 17.19

-4.84%

Cappuccino

$4.74 CHF 3.83

$6.53 CHF 5.27

-27.41%

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

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$5.64 CHF 4.55

-16.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CHF 3.11

$5.39 CHF 4.35

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.37 CHF 6.76

$6.88 CHF 5.55

21.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CHF 4.84

$6.34 CHF 5.12

-5.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.14

$3.26 CHF 2.63

19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$3.26 CHF 2.63

32.82%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.91

$7.20 CHF 5.81

1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.71 CHF 24.78

$30.06 CHF 24.26

2.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.57 CHF 26.28

$31.44 CHF 25.37

3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.90 CHF 38.65

$39.66 CHF 32.00

20.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 CHF 4.31

$4.16 CHF 3.36

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.35 CHF 2.70

$2.89 CHF 2.33

15.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.99 CHF 2.41

-8.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 CHF 4.61

$4.21 CHF 3.39

35.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.33

$1.93 CHF 1.55

49.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.90

$2.01 CHF 1.62

17.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.71

$2.54 CHF 2.05

-16.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CHF 1.30

$1.06 CHF 0.85

52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 CHF 8.99

$11.01 CHF 8.88

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 CHF 9.81

$9.73 CHF 7.85

24.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.62

$2.40 CHF 1.94

35.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 CHF 2.59

$3.66 CHF 2.96

-12.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.0 CHF 72.6

$97.0 CHF 78.3

-7.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 CHF 7.59

$7.59 CHF 6.13

23.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.72

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-19.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$76.0 CHF 61.3

$75.1 CHF 60.6

1.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-7.30%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.6K

$37.2K CHF 30.0K

8.64%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.6K

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

7.05%

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

$286 CHF 231

$96.9 CHF 78.2

195.04%

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

$62.4 CHF 50.4

$30.30 CHF 24.45

106.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 CHF 30.07

$59.1 CHF 47.68

-36.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.3 CHF 74.5

$73.0 CHF 58.9

26.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 19.99

Cinema Ticket

$21.54 CHF 17.38

$25.00 CHF 20.17

-13.84%

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

$2,594 CHF 2,093

$3,422 CHF 2,761

-24.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K CHF 21.2K

$19.5K CHF 15.7K

34.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 109

$140 CHF 113

-3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 CHF 55.7

$43.89 CHF 35.41

57.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 CHF 123

$99.3 CHF 80.1

53.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CHF 92.6

$187 CHF 151

-38.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 CHF 1,390

$1,278 CHF 1,031

34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 CHF 1,167

$1,083 CHF 874

33.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,662 CHF 2,148

$1,859 CHF 1,500

43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,455 CHF 1,981

$1,753 CHF 1,414

40.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.1K CHF 17.0K

$9,830 CHF 7,932

114.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

$4,937 CHF 3,984

182.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,293 CHF 5,885

$6,802 CHF 5,489

7.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.42

2.09

15.79%

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

Last update for Neuchatel: July 11, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,723 in Neuchatel and $1,278 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neuchatel pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Neuchatel vs $144 in Solothurn. Groceries flip the comparison at $677 vs $604, with Solothurn cheaper for home cooking.

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

Neuchatel vs Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Neuchatel and Solothurn differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($3,319 vs $2,830 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Neuchatel, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,723 in Neuchatel versus $1,278 in Solothurn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Solothurn – a meal for two runs $144 versus $100 in Neuchatel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,319 per month in Neuchatel versus $2,830 in Solothurn – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Solothurn is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Neuchatel and Solothurn are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Solothurn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Neuchatel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.