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: $2,824 in Solothurn versus $3,331 in Neuchatel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,426 in Solothurn versus $5,093 in Neuchatel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,029 in Solothurn versus $6,854 in Neuchatel.

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 15% less than in Neuchatel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 111% above, Neuchatel 149% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.88 CHF 24.35

$24.65 CHF 19.44

25.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$98.2 CHF 77.4

45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.70 CHF 16.32

$19.98 CHF 15.75

3.60%

Cappuccino

$6.63 CHF 5.23

$4.84 CHF 3.81

36.98%

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

$5.61 CHF 4.42

$4.72 CHF 3.72

18.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CHF 4.04

$3.92 CHF 3.09

30.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 CHF 5.24

$8.52 CHF 6.71

-22.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CHF 4.92

$5.99 CHF 4.73

4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.12 CHF 1.67

6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 CHF 2.70

$3.85 CHF 3.03

-10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.67

$4.26 CHF 3.35

-20.42%

Eggs

$7.47 CHF 5.89

$7.34 CHF 5.79

1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.54 CHF 23.29

$30.76 CHF 24.25

-3.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.76 CHF 24.25

$32.50 CHF 25.62

-5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.99 CHF 30.74

$48.62 CHF 38.33

-19.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.33

$5.15 CHF 4.06

-18.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.28

$3.34 CHF 2.63

-13.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.46

$2.82 CHF 2.22

10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 CHF 3.42

$5.73 CHF 4.52

-24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.52

$2.92 CHF 2.30

-33.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.59

$2.37 CHF 1.87

-14.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.23 CHF 1.75

12.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.84

$1.65 CHF 1.30

-35.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 CHF 8.91

$10.89 CHF 8.59

3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 CHF 8.09

$12.59 CHF 9.93

-18.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CHF 2.09

$2.35 CHF 1.86

12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.92

$3.42 CHF 2.70

-28.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$3.17 CHF 2.50

13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.1 CHF 77.4

$90.1 CHF 71.0

8.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.05

$9.39 CHF 7.40

-18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$3.25 CHF 2.56

28.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.1 CHF 57.6

$78.2 CHF 61.6

-6.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$2.13 CHF 1.68

7.98%

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

$38.3K CHF 30.2K

$39.6K CHF 31.2K

-3.47%

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

$37.8K CHF 29.8K

$42.3K CHF 33.3K

-10.63%

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

$100 CHF 78.9

$285 CHF 225

-64.92%

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

$30.95 CHF 24.40

$62.3 CHF 49.14

-50.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 45.53

$37.08 CHF 29.24

55.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 CHF 58.3

$90.0 CHF 71.0

-17.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.25 CHF 19.12

Cinema Ticket

$24.39 CHF 19.23

$21.92 CHF 17.28

11.27%

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

$3,424 CHF 2,700

$2,561 CHF 2,019

33.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K CHF 15.6K

$26.6K CHF 21.0K

-25.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$136 CHF 107

3.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 CHF 33.53

$68.0 CHF 53.6

-37.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 78.3

$155 CHF 122

-35.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 148

$118 CHF 92.9

59.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CHF 997

$1,752 CHF 1,381

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CHF 840

$1,442 CHF 1,137

-26.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,854 CHF 1,462

$2,743 CHF 2,162

-32.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 CHF 1,384

$2,393 CHF 1,887

-26.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,088

$12.2K CHF 9,613

-15.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,092 CHF 4,014

$8,798 CHF 6,937

-42.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,149 CHF 5,636

$7,595 CHF 5,988

-5.87%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Neuchatel: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Solothurn and $1,752 in Neuchatel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neuchatel pays 6% 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: $143 in Solothurn vs $98.0 in Neuchatel. Groceries flip the comparison at $604 vs $678, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($2,824 vs $3,331 including rent). Solothurn is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Neuchatel earns 6% less. 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: $1,265 in Solothurn versus $1,752 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 $143 versus $98.0 in Neuchatel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,824 per month in Solothurn versus $3,331 in Neuchatel – a 18% 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 18% less than in Neuchatel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.