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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,172 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,928 per month in Schaffhausen vs $4,964 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,685 per month in Schaffhausen vs $6,775 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 1% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Schaffhausen and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Schaffhausen by 137%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.30 CHF 25.55

$24.25 CHF 19.79

29.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 99.4

$87.8 CHF 71.7

38.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.11 CHF 13.15

$18.83 CHF 15.37

-14.45%

Cappuccino

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$4.82 CHF 3.93

17.84%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.37

$3.81 CHF 3.11

40.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.57

$4.57 CHF 3.73

-4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$7.25 CHF 5.92

10.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 CHF 6.18

$6.12 CHF 4.99

23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.60

$2.18 CHF 1.78

-10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.09

$3.99 CHF 3.25

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$4.32 CHF 3.53

-14.58%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$7.54 CHF 6.15

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.80 CHF 24.32

$26.57 CHF 21.68

12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.49 CHF 28.97

$33.12 CHF 27.03

7.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.0 CHF 41.59

$51.5 CHF 42.07

-1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 3.01

$3.54 CHF 2.89

4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$2.54 CHF 2.07

-11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.35

$3.05 CHF 2.49

-5.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CHF 4.98

$6.42 CHF 5.24

-4.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.63 CHF 2.15

-5.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.03

$2.43 CHF 1.98

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.18

$2.52 CHF 2.06

5.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CHF 1.04

$1.38 CHF 1.12

-7.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 CHF 8.93

$11.17 CHF 9.12

-2.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 CHF 10.95

$13.76 CHF 11.23

-2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$2.44 CHF 1.99

-44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.12

$3.72 CHF 3.04

-30.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$3.04 CHF 2.48

29.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.9

$156 CHF 128

-45.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 CHF 8.20

$7.79 CHF 6.35

29.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.04 CHF 3.30

$3.65 CHF 2.98

10.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.9 CHF 50.5

$65.9 CHF 53.8

-6.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.74

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-6.58%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.4K

$39.6K CHF 32.4K

0.12%

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

$42.4K CHF 34.6K

$48.8K CHF 39.8K

-12.99%

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

$247 CHF 202

$257 CHF 210

-3.92%

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

$28.70 CHF 23.42

$49.08 CHF 40.06

-41.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.94 CHF 35.05

$62.4 CHF 50.9

-31.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 88.6

$77.2 CHF 63.0

40.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.47 CHF 38.74

Cinema Ticket

$22.34 CHF 18.24

$24.85 CHF 20.28

-10.10%

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

$3,354 CHF 2,738

$3,139 CHF 2,562

6.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.5K CHF 35.5K

$20.5K CHF 16.7K

111.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 CHF 91.4

$136 CHF 111

-17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 CHF 55.2

$78.9 CHF 64.4

-14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$163 CHF 133

-18.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 CHF 126

$213 CHF 174

-27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 CHF 1,001

$1,488 CHF 1,215

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 CHF 1,018

$1,082 CHF 883

15.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 CHF 2,171

$3,873 CHF 3,161

-31.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 CHF 1,808

$2,404 CHF 1,962

-7.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,226 CHF 6,714

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

-49.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,564 CHF 6,990

$11.9K CHF 9,710

-28.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,453 CHF 6,083

$5,201 CHF 4,245

43.30%

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 Schaffhausen: July 21, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,226 in Schaffhausen versus $1,488 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 43% higher in Schaffhausen, 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 $122 in Schaffhausen versus $88.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $675 vs $673 – 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

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

Schaffhausen costs about 1% 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 Schaffhausen and $4,728 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 $122 in Schaffhausen and $88.0 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 $3,172 in Schaffhausen and $3,152 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 $3,172 in Schaffhausen and $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward La Chaux-de-Fonds – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Schaffhausen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.