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 $3,151 per month in Schaffhausen vs $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,139 per month in Schaffhausen vs $4,852 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,126 per month in Schaffhausen vs $6,641 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Schaffhausen costs about 3% 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 129%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 122%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.20 CHF 25.46

$24.87 CHF 20.30

25.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 99.0

$85.2 CHF 69.5

42.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.87 CHF 15.40

$18.84 CHF 15.38

0.16%

Cappuccino

$5.75 CHF 4.69

$4.72 CHF 3.85

21.82%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.47

$3.74 CHF 3.05

46.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CHF 4.07

$4.73 CHF 3.86

5.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.73 CHF 7.13

$7.39 CHF 6.03

18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CHF 6.09

$6.05 CHF 4.94

23.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 CHF 3.38

$3.21 CHF 2.62

29.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 CHF 3.55

$3.26 CHF 2.66

33.74%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.40

$7.97 CHF 6.51

-1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.35 CHF 23.14

$26.29 CHF 21.46

7.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.11 CHF 26.20

$27.42 CHF 22.38

17.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.79 CHF 35.74

$42.24 CHF 34.48

3.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$3.58 CHF 2.92

9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.32 CHF 1.89

-5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.59

$3.02 CHF 2.46

4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 CHF 4.63

$4.82 CHF 3.93

17.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$1.76 CHF 1.44

43.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.03 CHF 1.66

10.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CHF 2.00

$2.30 CHF 1.88

6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.02

$1.65 CHF 1.34

-24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 9.17

$11.24 CHF 9.17

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 CHF 11.20

$12.13 CHF 9.90

13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.48

$2.49 CHF 2.03

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CHF 3.24

$3.04 CHF 2.48

30.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 CHF 3.22

$4.40 CHF 3.59

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 CHF 81.1

$100.0 CHF 81.6

-0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 CHF 5.11

$8.14 CHF 6.64

-23.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 CHF 3.11

$4.80 CHF 3.91

-20.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.5 CHF 50.2

$86.9 CHF 70.9

-29.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-1.77%

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

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

0.09%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

1.09%

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

$228 CHF 186

$298 CHF 244

-23.74%

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

$31.99 CHF 26.11

$54.2 CHF 44.22

-40.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 CHF 52.2

$66.1 CHF 53.9

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 91.1

$76.4 CHF 62.3

46.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.98 CHF 38.34

$44.09 CHF 35.98

6.55%

Cinema Ticket

$23.97 CHF 19.56

$23.35 CHF 19.05

2.66%

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

$3,228 CHF 2,634

$2,984 CHF 2,436

8.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$20.6K CHF 16.8K

61.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$170 CHF 138

$146 CHF 119

15.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 CHF 44.83

$80.7 CHF 65.9

-31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$193 CHF 157

$166 CHF 135

16.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CHF 128

$204 CHF 167

-23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 CHF 1,112

$1,483 CHF 1,211

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CHF 980

$1,105 CHF 902

8.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,710 CHF 2,212

$4,017 CHF 3,278

-32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CHF 1,967

$2,413 CHF 1,969

-0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,369 CHF 6,830

$17.0K CHF 13.9K

-50.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,886

$11.5K CHF 9,345

-26.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,296 CHF 5,954

$5,259 CHF 4,292

38.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

2.43

2.06%

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

Last update for Schaffhausen: September 5, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,362 in Schaffhausen versus $1,483 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 39% 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 $121 in Schaffhausen versus $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $651 vs $591 – 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 3% 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 $4,727 per month in Schaffhausen and $4,595 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 $121 in Schaffhausen and $85.0 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 $3,151 in Schaffhausen and $3,063 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 $3,151 in Schaffhausen and $3,063 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.