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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,863 in Solothurn versus $3,358 in Neuchatel.

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

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

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 15% less than in Neuchatel, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.05 CHF 25.24

$27.86 CHF 22.65

11.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 121

$119 CHF 96.6

25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.21 CHF 14.81

$18.68 CHF 15.19

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$6.67 CHF 5.42

$6.32 CHF 5.14

5.54%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.58

$4.20 CHF 3.41

34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 CHF 4.51

$3.54 CHF 2.88

56.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 CHF 5.59

$9.06 CHF 7.37

-24.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 CHF 4.93

$7.32 CHF 5.95

-17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.15 CHF 1.75

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 CHF 3.20

$3.18 CHF 2.59

23.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.94

$3.27 CHF 2.66

10.70%

Eggs

$8.64 CHF 7.02

$7.04 CHF 5.72

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.03 CHF 18.72

$26.66 CHF 21.67

-13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.95 CHF 21.91

$28.30 CHF 23.01

-4.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$60.8 CHF 49.45

$41.17 CHF 33.47

47.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.43

$3.23 CHF 2.63

-7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 CHF 1.19

$2.25 CHF 1.83

-35.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 CHF 2.80

$3.02 CHF 2.45

14.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$4.74 CHF 3.86

-10.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CHF 1.32

$1.78 CHF 1.44

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 CHF 1.51

$2.03 CHF 1.65

-8.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 CHF 1.33

$2.30 CHF 1.87

-28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CHF 0.81

$1.29 CHF 1.05

-23.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 CHF 9.06

$10.96 CHF 8.91

1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 CHF 11.16

$12.18 CHF 9.90

12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CHF 2.31

$2.32 CHF 1.89

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.61

$2.35 CHF 1.91

36.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.89 CHF 3.98

$3.04 CHF 2.47

60.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.7 CHF 77.0

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 CHF 6.59

$8.27 CHF 6.72

-1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.80 CHF 3.90

$4.28 CHF 3.48

12.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$90.1 CHF 73.2

$78.6 CHF 63.9

14.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.33 CHF 1.90

-2.58%

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

$31.0K CHF 25.2K

$41.1K CHF 33.4K

-24.60%

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

$35.8K CHF 29.1K

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

-9.77%

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

$98.5 CHF 80.0

$286 CHF 232

-65.56%

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

$31.23 CHF 25.39

$54.8 CHF 44.55

-43.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 CHF 47.19

$36.54 CHF 29.71

58.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.1 CHF 74.9

$90.6 CHF 73.6

1.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.96 CHF 13.79

$43.23 CHF 35.15

-60.77%

Cinema Ticket

$18.50 CHF 15.04

$21.86 CHF 17.77

-15.37%

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

$3,686 CHF 2,997

$2,579 CHF 2,097

42.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K CHF 16.3K

$26.9K CHF 21.9K

-25.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$148 CHF 120

$113 CHF 92.1

30.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.58 CHF 34.62

$59.0 CHF 47.95

-27.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$168 CHF 136

$155 CHF 126

8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$258 CHF 210

$150 CHF 122

72.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 CHF 973

$1,725 CHF 1,403

-30.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 CHF 872

$1,450 CHF 1,179

-26.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CHF 1,534

$2,656 CHF 2,159

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 CHF 1,460

$2,413 CHF 1,962

-25.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 8,171

$21.2K CHF 17.2K

-52.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,885 CHF 3,971

$14.0K CHF 11.4K

-65.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,084 CHF 5,759

$7,398 CHF 6,015

-4.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.87

10.70%

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

Last update for Solothurn: August 31, 2026

Last update for Neuchatel: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,197 in Solothurn and $1,725 in Neuchatel. 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: $149 in Solothurn vs $119 in Neuchatel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $631 vs $580 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

Solothurn vs Neuchatel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Solothurn and Neuchatel differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,863 vs $3,358 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Neuchatel. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,197 in Solothurn versus $1,725 in Neuchatel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,686 in Solothurn versus $2,579 in Neuchatel. 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, Solothurn and Neuchatel 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.