Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,825 per month in Aarau vs $3,566 in Basel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,712 per month in Aarau vs $5,581 in Basel, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,599 per month in Aarau vs $7,595 in Basel, rent included.

Aarau is about 21% cheaper than Basel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Aarau and Basel sit above the global median – Aarau by 106%, Basel by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.44 CHF 24.75

$29.61 CHF 24.07

2.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 87.9

$128 CHF 104

-15.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.92 CHF 15.38

$18.47 CHF 15.01

2.44%

Cappuccino

$5.89 CHF 4.79

$6.76 CHF 5.50

-12.87%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.32

$6.33 CHF 5.14

-15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 CHF 4.00

$6.15 CHF 5.00

-19.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CHF 4.92

$8.91 CHF 7.24

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-33.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CHF 1.70

$2.34 CHF 1.90

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 CHF 3.19

$3.22 CHF 2.61

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.23

$3.36 CHF 2.73

-18.45%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.19

$8.03 CHF 6.53

-5.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.31 CHF 26.27

$26.94 CHF 21.90

19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$30.77 CHF 25.02

$27.83 CHF 22.63

10.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.70 CHF 33.90

$41.82 CHF 34.00

-0.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.42

$3.60 CHF 2.93

-17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.47

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$3.12 CHF 2.54

-19.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.92 CHF 4.82

$4.84 CHF 3.93

22.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.45

$1.73 CHF 1.40

2.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$2.07 CHF 1.68

-3.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CHF 1.88

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CHF 0.97

$1.63 CHF 1.33

-26.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$11.39 CHF 9.26

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 CHF 8.46

$12.41 CHF 10.09

-16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CHF 2.16

$2.62 CHF 2.13

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CHF 2.45

$3.21 CHF 2.61

-6.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.25 CHF 4.27

$4.60 CHF 3.74

14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$150 CHF 122

$108 CHF 88.2

38.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 CHF 5.98

$8.16 CHF 6.63

-9.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 CHF 2.73

$4.67 CHF 3.80

-28.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 CHF 51.3

$85.9 CHF 69.8

-26.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

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

$44.2K CHF 36.0K

$43.8K CHF 35.6K

0.87%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.4K

1.31%

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

$125 CHF 102

$304 CHF 247

-58.84%

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

$32.27 CHF 26.24

$54.2 CHF 44.05

-40.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CHF 46.79

$64.7 CHF 52.6

-11.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.9 CHF 80.4

$83.3 CHF 67.7

18.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$62.0 CHF 50.4

$58.5 CHF 47.56

6.02%

Cinema Ticket

$22.11 CHF 17.97

$23.78 CHF 19.34

-7.02%

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

$3,186 CHF 2,590

$3,055 CHF 2,484

4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K CHF 20.1K

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

-23.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.6 CHF 75.2

$147 CHF 120

-37.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.1 CHF 61.0

$81.7 CHF 66.4

-8.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 CHF 90.9

$166 CHF 135

-32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 CHF 139

$206 CHF 167

-17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CHF 1,049

$2,095 CHF 1,703

-38.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 CHF 853

$1,529 CHF 1,243

-31.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$3,547 CHF 2,884

-34.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 CHF 1,771

$2,865 CHF 2,329

-23.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,414

$18.2K CHF 14.8K

-43.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,928

$14.8K CHF 12.1K

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,161 CHF 5,822

$7,405 CHF 6,020

-3.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

2.43

-4.94%

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

Last update for Aarau: September 1, 2026

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,291 in Aarau versus $2,095 in Basel. 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 3% higher in Basel, 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 $108 in Aarau versus $128 in Basel. Groceries tell a different story – $616 in Aarau vs $598 in Basel – so Basel 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

Aarau vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basel costs about 26% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,237 per month in Aarau and $5,349 in Basel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aarau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,186 per month in Aarau and $3,055 in Basel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,825 in Aarau and $3,566 in Basel. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $2,825 versus $3,566 in Basel. 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 Aarau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Basel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.