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 $4,264 per month in Zurich vs $3,057 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,405 per month in Zurich vs $5,017 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,546 per month in Zurich vs $6,978 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Zurich costs about 39% 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 217%, La Chaux-de-Fonds by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.59 CHF 24.45

$24.34 CHF 19.45

25.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$85.9 CHF 68.7

69.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.52 CHF 16.41

$18.76 CHF 15.00

9.38%

Cappuccino

$6.99 CHF 5.59

$4.68 CHF 3.74

49.36%

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

$6.08 CHF 4.86

$3.59 CHF 2.87

69.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CHF 4.22

$4.67 CHF 3.73

13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.91 CHF 7.92

$7.29 CHF 5.82

35.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 CHF 7.06

$6.02 CHF 4.81

46.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.79

$2.30 CHF 1.84

-2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$3.91 CHF 3.13

-15.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.15

$4.48 CHF 3.58

-11.83%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.90

$7.68 CHF 6.14

-3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.07 CHF 24.03

$27.26 CHF 21.79

10.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.13 CHF 27.28

$32.66 CHF 26.10

4.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.71

$51.4 CHF 41.09

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CHF 3.38

$3.60 CHF 2.88

17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.26

$2.47 CHF 1.97

14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.41

$2.94 CHF 2.35

2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 CHF 4.21

$6.43 CHF 5.14

-18.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.25

$2.54 CHF 2.03

11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.87

$2.40 CHF 1.92

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 2.00

$2.52 CHF 2.01

-0.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.37

$1.33 CHF 1.07

29.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CHF 8.69

$11.04 CHF 8.83

-1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.00 CHF 11.99

$12.75 CHF 10.19

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CHF 2.17

$2.39 CHF 1.91

13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 CHF 2.59

$3.73 CHF 2.98

-13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.06 CHF 4.04

$3.17 CHF 2.53

59.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 87.4

$158 CHF 127

-30.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 CHF 6.30

$7.67 CHF 6.13

2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.30 CHF 3.43

$3.46 CHF 2.77

24.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 70.7

$64.4 CHF 51.5

37.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.85

$2.27 CHF 1.81

2.20%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.9K

$39.7K CHF 31.8K

3.54%

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

$39.1K CHF 31.2K

$50.2K CHF 40.1K

-22.15%

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

$257 CHF 206

$265 CHF 212

-2.83%

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

$35.13 CHF 28.08

$48.76 CHF 38.97

-27.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.26

$62.3 CHF 49.79

-5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 71.2

$76.3 CHF 61.0

16.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 CHF 39.87

Cinema Ticket

$24.22 CHF 19.36

$24.20 CHF 19.34

0.08%

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

$3,382 CHF 2,703

$3,065 CHF 2,450

10.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.9K CHF 31.1K

$20.4K CHF 16.3K

90.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 111

$140 CHF 112

-0.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 CHF 49.93

$79.4 CHF 63.4

-21.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 117

$160 CHF 128

-8.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 159

$212 CHF 170

-6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,676 CHF 2,139

$1,473 CHF 1,177

81.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 CHF 1,746

$1,090 CHF 871

100.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,057 CHF 4,042

$3,981 CHF 3,182

27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,718 CHF 2,971

$2,383 CHF 1,904

56.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.5K CHF 21.2K

$18.6K CHF 14.9K

42.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K CHF 13.5K

$13.2K CHF 10.5K

27.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,547 CHF 6,832

$5,225 CHF 4,176

63.59%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,676 in Zurich versus $1,473 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 64% 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 $146 in Zurich versus $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $685 vs $670 – 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 39% 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 $6,396 per month in Zurich and $4,586 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 $146 in Zurich and $86.0 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 $4,264 in Zurich and $3,057 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 $4,264 in Zurich and $3,057 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 $3,057 versus $4,264 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.