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 $4,347 per month in Zurich vs $3,172 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,523 per month in Zurich vs $5,040 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,699 per month in Zurich vs $6,909 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Zurich costs about 37% 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 224%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.22 CHF 23.69

$24.32 CHF 19.07

24.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 116

$87.5 CHF 68.6

69.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.17 CHF 16.59

$18.72 CHF 14.67

13.09%

Cappuccino

$6.97 CHF 5.47

$4.82 CHF 3.78

44.61%

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

$5.78 CHF 4.53

$3.64 CHF 2.86

58.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.24

$4.69 CHF 3.68

15.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.03 CHF 7.87

$7.34 CHF 5.75

36.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.58 CHF 6.72

$6.04 CHF 4.73

42.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.68

$2.17 CHF 1.70

-1.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 CHF 2.60

$3.98 CHF 3.12

-16.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 CHF 3.19

$4.48 CHF 3.51

-9.15%

Eggs

$7.46 CHF 5.85

$7.50 CHF 5.88

-0.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.49 CHF 23.12

$27.03 CHF 21.19

9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.63 CHF 26.37

$33.08 CHF 25.94

1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.90 CHF 39.12

$53.0 CHF 41.58

-5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.16

$3.48 CHF 2.72

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.22

$2.43 CHF 1.91

16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.35

$3.09 CHF 2.42

-2.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CHF 4.09

$6.17 CHF 4.84

-15.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.19

$2.65 CHF 2.07

5.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CHF 1.79

$2.44 CHF 1.92

-6.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 1.99

$2.60 CHF 2.04

-2.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CHF 1.30

$1.36 CHF 1.07

21.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 8.77

$11.10 CHF 8.70

0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 CHF 11.90

$12.59 CHF 9.87

20.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.04

$2.53 CHF 1.98

2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CHF 2.64

$3.78 CHF 2.97

-10.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 CHF 3.93

$3.02 CHF 2.37

65.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 86.1

$161 CHF 127

-31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 CHF 5.96

$7.50 CHF 5.88

1.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.33

$3.53 CHF 2.76

20.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 69.3

$64.2 CHF 50.3

37.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.74

$2.29 CHF 1.79

-3.06%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

$39.7K CHF 31.2K

0.35%

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

$39.3K CHF 30.8K

$49.3K CHF 38.7K

-20.44%

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

$254 CHF 199

$263 CHF 206

-3.47%

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

$35.48 CHF 27.81

$48.25 CHF 37.83

-26.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 45.78

$63.6 CHF 49.82

-8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.7 CHF 71.1

$74.5 CHF 58.4

21.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.80 CHF 39.05

Cinema Ticket

$24.62 CHF 19.30

$24.58 CHF 19.27

0.16%

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

$3,356 CHF 2,631

$3,073 CHF 2,409

9.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.5K

$20.6K CHF 16.1K

89.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 108

$139 CHF 109

-0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 48.37

$78.9 CHF 61.9

-21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$161 CHF 126

-6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 CHF 161

$209 CHF 164

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,780 CHF 2,180

$1,449 CHF 1,136

91.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,746

$1,102 CHF 864

101.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,989 CHF 3,911

$3,991 CHF 3,129

25.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,800 CHF 2,979

$2,438 CHF 1,911

55.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$25.3K CHF 19.8K

$15.1K CHF 11.8K

67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.0K CHF 12.5K

$9,461 CHF 7,418

68.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,622 CHF 6,760

$5,374 CHF 4,213

60.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.46

-15.04%

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

Last update for Zurich: April 20, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,780 in Zurich versus $1,449 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 $149 in Zurich versus $87 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Groceries tell a different story – $675 in Zurich vs $675 in La Chaux-de-Fonds – so Zurich wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 37% 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 $6,521 per month in Zurich and $4,758 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 $149 in Zurich and $87.0 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 $4,347 in Zurich and $3,172 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 $4,347 in Zurich and $3,172 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 $3,172 versus $4,347 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.