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 $3,132 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,057 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,926 per month in Schaffhausen vs $5,017 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,720 per month in Schaffhausen vs $6,978 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 2% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Schaffhausen and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Schaffhausen by 133%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.39 CHF 24.29

$24.34 CHF 19.45

24.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 99.4

$85.9 CHF 68.7

44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.82 CHF 12.65

$18.76 CHF 15.00

-15.67%

Cappuccino

$5.42 CHF 4.33

$4.68 CHF 3.74

15.81%

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

$5.36 CHF 4.28

$3.59 CHF 2.87

49.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 CHF 3.49

$4.67 CHF 3.73

-6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 CHF 6.36

$7.29 CHF 5.82

9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CHF 5.88

$6.02 CHF 4.81

22.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CHF 1.57

$2.30 CHF 1.84

-14.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.01

$3.91 CHF 3.13

-3.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CHF 2.88

$4.48 CHF 3.58

-19.42%

Eggs

$7.87 CHF 6.29

$7.68 CHF 6.14

2.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.45 CHF 23.54

$27.26 CHF 21.79

8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.04 CHF 28.01

$32.66 CHF 26.10

7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.39

$51.4 CHF 41.09

0.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.94

$3.60 CHF 2.88

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.86

$2.47 CHF 1.97

-5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.35

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.91

$6.43 CHF 5.14

-4.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$2.54 CHF 2.03

-4.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$2.40 CHF 1.92

3.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.05

$2.52 CHF 2.01

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$1.33 CHF 1.07

-3.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.77

$11.04 CHF 8.83

-0.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.33 CHF 9.85

$12.75 CHF 10.19

-3.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$2.39 CHF 1.91

-42.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.16

$3.73 CHF 2.98

-27.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.18

$3.17 CHF 2.53

25.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 CHF 69.7

$158 CHF 127

-44.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 CHF 8.11

$7.67 CHF 6.13

32.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.89 CHF 3.11

$3.46 CHF 2.77

12.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.41

$64.4 CHF 51.5

-5.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.76

$2.27 CHF 1.81

-2.64%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.2K

$39.7K CHF 31.8K

1.42%

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

$42.6K CHF 34.1K

$50.2K CHF 40.1K

-15.11%

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

$247 CHF 197

$265 CHF 212

-6.86%

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

$28.92 CHF 23.11

$48.76 CHF 38.97

-40.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CHF 35.11

$62.3 CHF 49.79

-29.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 CHF 87.2

$76.3 CHF 61.0

42.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.61 CHF 38.06

Cinema Ticket

$22.53 CHF 18.01

$24.20 CHF 19.34

-6.90%

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

$3,388 CHF 2,708

$3,065 CHF 2,450

10.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K CHF 33.9K

$20.4K CHF 16.3K

107.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.1

$140 CHF 112

-20.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 CHF 53.1

$79.4 CHF 63.4

-16.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 CHF 103

$160 CHF 128

-19.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 CHF 124

$212 CHF 170

-26.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 CHF 972

$1,473 CHF 1,177

-17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 CHF 977

$1,090 CHF 871

12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,692 CHF 2,152

$3,981 CHF 3,182

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 CHF 1,756

$2,383 CHF 1,904

-7.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,390 CHF 6,706

$18.6K CHF 14.9K

-54.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,769 CHF 5,410

$13.2K CHF 10.5K

-48.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,336 CHF 7,463

$5,225 CHF 4,176

78.70%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Schaffhausen versus $1,473 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 79% 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 $124 in Schaffhausen versus $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 vs $670 – 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 2% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,699 per month in Schaffhausen and $4,586 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 $124 in Schaffhausen 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 $3,132 in Schaffhausen and $3,057 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 $3,132 in Schaffhausen and $3,057 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.