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 $4,229 per month in Zurich vs $3,152 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,508 per month in Zurich vs $4,964 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,786 per month in Zurich vs $6,775 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, rent included.

Zurich costs about 34% 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 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.02 CHF 25.32

$24.25 CHF 19.79

27.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 119

$87.8 CHF 71.7

66.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.79 CHF 16.97

$18.83 CHF 15.37

10.41%

Cappuccino

$6.71 CHF 5.47

$4.82 CHF 3.93

39.21%

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

$6.13 CHF 5.00

$3.81 CHF 3.11

60.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CHF 4.32

$4.57 CHF 3.73

15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.00 CHF 8.16

$7.25 CHF 5.92

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CHF 7.06

$6.12 CHF 4.99

41.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.85

$2.18 CHF 1.78

3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 CHF 2.79

$3.99 CHF 3.25

-14.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 CHF 3.20

$4.32 CHF 3.53

-9.26%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 6.16

$7.54 CHF 6.15

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.54 CHF 24.11

$26.57 CHF 21.68

11.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.89 CHF 27.66

$33.12 CHF 27.03

2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.95

$51.5 CHF 42.07

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$3.54 CHF 2.89

17.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 CHF 2.31

$2.54 CHF 2.07

11.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.46

$3.05 CHF 2.49

-0.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.11

$6.42 CHF 5.24

-21.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.24

$2.63 CHF 2.15

4.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$2.43 CHF 1.98

-5.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 CHF 2.00

$2.52 CHF 2.06

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.36

$1.38 CHF 1.12

20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 9.08

$11.17 CHF 9.12

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 CHF 11.22

$13.76 CHF 11.23

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CHF 2.24

$2.44 CHF 1.99

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 CHF 2.70

$3.72 CHF 3.04

-11.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.84 CHF 3.95

$3.04 CHF 2.48

59.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 89.2

$156 CHF 128

-30.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CHF 6.24

$7.79 CHF 6.35

-1.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.36

$3.65 CHF 2.98

12.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 71.3

$65.9 CHF 53.8

32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.84

$2.28 CHF 1.86

-1.32%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

$39.6K CHF 32.4K

1.72%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.6K

$48.8K CHF 39.8K

-20.53%

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

$255 CHF 208

$257 CHF 210

-0.82%

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

$35.92 CHF 29.32

$49.08 CHF 40.06

-26.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 48.74

$62.4 CHF 50.9

-4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 CHF 72.9

$77.2 CHF 63.0

15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.5 CHF 41.21

Cinema Ticket

$24.36 CHF 19.88

$24.85 CHF 20.28

-1.97%

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

$3,397 CHF 2,773

$3,139 CHF 2,562

8.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.5K CHF 32.3K

$20.5K CHF 16.7K

92.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 116

$136 CHF 111

4.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 49.51

$78.9 CHF 64.4

-23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$163 CHF 133

-9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 CHF 164

$213 CHF 174

-5.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 CHF 2,202

$1,488 CHF 1,215

81.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 CHF 1,802

$1,082 CHF 883

104.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,893 CHF 3,994

$3,873 CHF 3,161

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,760 CHF 3,069

$2,404 CHF 1,962

56.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.8K CHF 21.9K

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

63.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

$11.9K CHF 9,710

40.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,316 CHF 6,787

$5,201 CHF 4,245

59.89%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,698 in Zurich versus $1,488 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 $146 in Zurich versus $88.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $673 – 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 34% 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 $6,343 per month in Zurich and $4,728 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 $88.0 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 $4,229 in Zurich and $3,152 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 $4,229 in Zurich and $3,152 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 $3,152 versus $4,229 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.