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: $3,358 in Neuchatel versus $2,863 in Solothurn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,064 in Neuchatel versus $4,556 in Solothurn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,770 in Neuchatel versus $6,248 in Solothurn.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Neuchatel 144% above, Solothurn 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.86 CHF 22.65

$31.05 CHF 25.24

-10.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.6

$149 CHF 121

-20.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.68 CHF 15.19

$18.21 CHF 14.81

2.58%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$6.67 CHF 5.42

-5.25%

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

$4.20 CHF 3.41

$5.64 CHF 4.58

-25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 CHF 2.88

$5.54 CHF 4.51

-36.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.06 CHF 7.37

$6.87 CHF 5.59

31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 CHF 5.95

$6.07 CHF 4.93

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.75

$2.24 CHF 1.82

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 CHF 2.59

$3.93 CHF 3.20

-19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CHF 2.66

$3.62 CHF 2.94

-9.67%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.72

$8.64 CHF 7.02

-18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.67

$23.03 CHF 18.72

15.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.30 CHF 23.01

$26.95 CHF 21.91

5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.17 CHF 33.47

$60.8 CHF 49.45

-32.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.63

$2.99 CHF 2.43

8.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.83

$1.46 CHF 1.19

54.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.45

$3.45 CHF 2.80

-12.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.86

$4.22 CHF 3.43

12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.44

$1.63 CHF 1.32

9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.65

$1.86 CHF 1.51

9.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.64 CHF 1.33

40.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.05

$0.99 CHF 0.81

30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.91

$11.14 CHF 9.06

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 CHF 9.90

$13.73 CHF 11.16

-11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.84 CHF 2.31

-18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$3.21 CHF 2.61

-26.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.47

$4.89 CHF 3.98

-37.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.7 CHF 77.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 CHF 6.72

$8.11 CHF 6.59

1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.28 CHF 3.48

$4.80 CHF 3.90

-10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.6 CHF 63.9

$90.1 CHF 73.2

-12.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$2.27 CHF 1.85

2.64%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.4K

$31.0K CHF 25.2K

32.63%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$35.8K CHF 29.1K

10.83%

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

$286 CHF 232

$98.5 CHF 80.0

190.35%

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

$54.8 CHF 44.55

$31.23 CHF 25.39

75.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.54 CHF 29.71

$58.0 CHF 47.19

-37.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.6 CHF 73.6

$92.1 CHF 74.9

-1.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.23 CHF 35.15

$16.96 CHF 13.79

154.89%

Cinema Ticket

$21.86 CHF 17.77

$18.50 CHF 15.04

18.16%

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

$2,579 CHF 2,097

$3,686 CHF 2,997

-30.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K CHF 21.9K

$20.1K CHF 16.3K

33.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 CHF 92.1

$148 CHF 120

-23.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 CHF 47.95

$42.58 CHF 34.62

38.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 126

$168 CHF 136

-7.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 CHF 122

$258 CHF 210

-41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 CHF 1,403

$1,197 CHF 973

44.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 CHF 1,179

$1,072 CHF 872

35.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,656 CHF 2,159

$1,886 CHF 1,534

40.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,413 CHF 1,962

$1,796 CHF 1,460

34.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.2K CHF 17.2K

$10.0K CHF 8,171

111.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.4K

$4,885 CHF 3,971

187.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,398 CHF 6,015

$7,084 CHF 5,759

4.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.87

2.07

-9.66%

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

Last update for Neuchatel: August 29, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,725 in Neuchatel and $1,197 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neuchatel pays 4% 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: $119 in Neuchatel vs $149 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $580 vs $631 per month, with Neuchatel cheaper across the board.

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 ($3,358 vs $2,863 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $1,725 in Neuchatel versus $1,197 in Solothurn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,579 in Neuchatel versus $3,686 in Solothurn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Solothurn – a meal for two runs $149 versus $119 in Neuchatel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.