Schaffhausen vs Solothurn Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Schaffhausen leads on CPI (66.5 vs 66.9, NYC=100), Schaffhausen leads on rent index, and Solothurn leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Schaffhausen
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Housing (2% gap, Schaffhausen ahead); Utilities (2% gap, Schaffhausen ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $23 lower in Schaffhausen than in Solothurn (~2% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $23 (favoring Schaffhausen).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Schaffhausen | CPI 66.5 vs 66.9 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Schaffhausen | Rent index 27.8 vs 28.4 (lower is better) |
| Food | Schaffhausen | Groceries index 86.2 vs 87.1 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Schaffhausen | One-way ticket 1.36 vs 1.37 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Schaffhausen | Utilities (85m²) 50.04 vs 51.12 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Schaffhausen | Internet 52.23 vs 52.79 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Schaffhausen | Restaurant index 55.2 vs 55.2 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Solothurn | Avg net salary 4157.1 vs 4073.4 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Solothurn | PP index 74.5 vs 73 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Housing: Schaffhausen leads with a 2% gap.
Rent index 27.8 vs 28.4 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Schaffhausen — Lower housing / rent index (2% gap).
- Families: Schaffhausen — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Schaffhausen; purchasing power favors Solothurn.
- Remote Workers: Schaffhausen — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Schaffhausen (~1% gap).
- Budget Living: Schaffhausen — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Schaffhausen is the overall cost winner on CPI (~1% lower everyday-cost index than Solothurn).
- Housing: Schaffhausen leads on rent index (2% gap).
- Food / groceries: Schaffhausen is lower (1% gap).
- Purchasing power: Solothurn scores higher (2% gap).
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$23 cheaper in Schaffhausen.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 66.5/66.9, rent 27.8/28.4, purchasing power 73/74.5. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.