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: $2,830 in Solothurn versus $3,319 in Neuchatel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,520 in Solothurn versus $5,063 in Neuchatel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,211 in Solothurn versus $6,807 in Neuchatel.

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 15% less than in Neuchatel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 112% above, Neuchatel 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.25

$24.85 CHF 20.09

25.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$100.0 CHF 80.8

43.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.22

$20.27 CHF 16.39

5.08%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.28

$4.74 CHF 3.84

37.76%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.56

$4.69 CHF 3.79

20.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.36

$3.85 CHF 3.11

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.56

$8.37 CHF 6.77

-17.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.13

$5.99 CHF 4.85

5.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.20 CHF 1.78

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$3.90 CHF 3.15

-16.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$4.33 CHF 3.50

-24.71%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.83

$7.32 CHF 5.92

-1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.31

$30.71 CHF 24.83

-2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.42

$32.57 CHF 26.33

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.06

$47.90 CHF 38.73

-17.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$5.34 CHF 4.32

-22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.33

$3.35 CHF 2.71

-13.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.41

$2.75 CHF 2.22

8.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.40

$5.71 CHF 4.62

-26.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$2.88 CHF 2.33

-32.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.36 CHF 1.91

-14.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.13 CHF 1.72

19.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$1.62 CHF 1.31

-34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.90

$11.14 CHF 9.01

-1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.87

$12.16 CHF 9.83

-19.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$2.40 CHF 1.94

8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$3.25 CHF 2.63

-26.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$3.21 CHF 2.59

14.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.5

$90.0 CHF 72.7

7.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.14

$9.41 CHF 7.61

-19.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$3.37 CHF 2.72

24.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.7

$76.0 CHF 61.4

-1.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.16 CHF 1.75

7.87%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.1K

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

-7.95%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.4K

$41.6K CHF 33.6K

-6.58%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.3

$286 CHF 231

-66.11%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.49

$62.4 CHF 50.5

-51.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.77

$37.27 CHF 30.13

58.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.0

$92.3 CHF 74.7

-20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.03

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.21

$21.54 CHF 17.41

16.06%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,766

$2,594 CHF 2,097

31.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.7K

$26.2K CHF 21.2K

-25.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$135 CHF 109

3.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.48

$69.0 CHF 55.8

-36.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.3

$152 CHF 123

-34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$115 CHF 92.8

62.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,034

$1,723 CHF 1,393

-25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 876

$1,446 CHF 1,169

-25.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,503

$2,662 CHF 2,152

-30.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,417

$2,455 CHF 1,985

-28.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,947

$21.1K CHF 17.0K

-53.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,991

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

-64.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,500

$7,293 CHF 5,897

-6.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.42

-13.64%

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

Last update for Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Last update for Neuchatel: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Solothurn and $1,723 in Neuchatel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neuchatel pays 7% 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: $144 in Solothurn vs $100 in Neuchatel. Groceries flip the comparison at $604 vs $677, with Solothurn cheaper for home cooking.

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 ($2,830 vs $3,319 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $1,278 in Solothurn versus $1,723 in Neuchatel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Solothurn – a meal for two runs $144 versus $100 in Neuchatel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,830 per month in Solothurn versus $3,319 in Neuchatel – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.