Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and La Chaux-de-Fonds Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and La Chaux-de-Fonds

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,715 per month in Zurich vs $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,006 per month in Zurich vs $4,852 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,297 per month in Zurich vs $6,641 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Zurich costs about 54% more than La Chaux-de-Fonds, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and La Chaux-de-Fonds sit above the global median – Zurich by 242%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 122%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.39 CHF 29.69

$24.87 CHF 20.30

46.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 121

$85.2 CHF 69.5

74.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.59 CHF 15.17

$18.84 CHF 15.38

-1.33%

Cappuccino

$7.14 CHF 5.83

$4.72 CHF 3.85

51.27%

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

$5.83 CHF 4.76

$3.74 CHF 3.05

55.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 CHF 4.36

$4.73 CHF 3.86

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.14

$7.39 CHF 6.03

35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 CHF 7.09

$6.05 CHF 4.94

43.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.81

$2.26 CHF 1.85

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.23

$3.21 CHF 2.62

23.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.28

$3.26 CHF 2.66

23.31%

Eggs

$8.46 CHF 6.91

$7.97 CHF 6.51

6.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$26.29 CHF 21.46

5.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.66 CHF 22.57

$27.42 CHF 22.38

0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.82

$42.24 CHF 34.48

44.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$3.58 CHF 2.92

15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$2.32 CHF 1.89

24.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$3.02 CHF 2.46

18.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 CHF 3.93

$4.82 CHF 3.93

-0.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.20

$1.76 CHF 1.44

52.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.79

$2.03 CHF 1.66

7.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.11

$2.30 CHF 1.88

12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.09

$1.65 CHF 1.34

-19.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.17

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 CHF 11.24

$12.13 CHF 9.90

13.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CHF 2.27

$2.49 CHF 2.03

11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.62

$3.04 CHF 2.48

5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.74 CHF 4.68

$4.40 CHF 3.59

30.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 90.0

$100.0 CHF 81.6

10.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 CHF 7.00

$8.14 CHF 6.64

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.74

$4.80 CHF 3.91

-4.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.6 CHF 74.7

$86.9 CHF 70.9

5.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$2.26 CHF 1.85

1.77%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.4K

$44.7K CHF 36.5K

-8.39%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.5K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

-1.15%

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

$289 CHF 236

$298 CHF 244

-3.04%

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

$39.21 CHF 32.00

$54.2 CHF 44.22

-27.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.08

$66.1 CHF 53.9

-12.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 CHF 74.9

$76.4 CHF 62.3

20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 CHF 51.4

$44.09 CHF 35.98

42.82%

Cinema Ticket

$25.56 CHF 20.86

$23.35 CHF 19.05

9.46%

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

$3,721 CHF 3,037

$2,984 CHF 2,436

24.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.0K CHF 35.9K

$20.6K CHF 16.8K

113.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 118

$146 CHF 119

-1.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 CHF 48.47

$80.7 CHF 65.9

-26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$166 CHF 135

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$267 CHF 218

$204 CHF 167

30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 CHF 2,543

$1,483 CHF 1,211

110.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 CHF 1,989

$1,105 CHF 902

120.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,299 CHF 5,141

$4,017 CHF 3,278

56.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,288 CHF 3,499

$2,413 CHF 1,969

77.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.6K CHF 22.6K

$17.0K CHF 13.9K

62.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.4K

$11.5K CHF 9,345

43.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,393 CHF 6,849

$5,259 CHF 4,292

59.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

2.43

-14.81%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 5, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,117 in Zurich 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 60% higher in Zurich, 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 $148 in Zurich versus $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $679 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

Zurich vs La Chaux-de-Fonds: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zurich costs about 54% 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 $7,072 per month in Zurich 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 $148 in Zurich 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 $4,715 in Zurich 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 $4,715 in Zurich and $3,063 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Chaux-de-Fonds costs $3,063 versus $4,715 in Zurich. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.