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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,962 per month in Aarau vs $3,653 in Basel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,722 per month in Aarau vs $5,857 in Basel, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,482 per month in Aarau vs $8,062 in Basel, rent included.

Aarau is about 19% cheaper than Basel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Aarau and Basel sit above the global median – Aarau by 121%, Basel by 173%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 CHF 23.73

$30.72 CHF 24.22

-2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CHF 83.6

$156 CHF 123

-31.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.44 CHF 15.33

$19.37 CHF 15.27

0.36%

Cappuccino

$6.35 CHF 5.01

$6.75 CHF 5.32

-5.93%

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

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$5.67 CHF 4.47

-41.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CHF 3.80

$5.02 CHF 3.96

-3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 CHF 6.43

$10.09 CHF 7.95

-19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 CHF 5.77

$7.45 CHF 5.87

-1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.71

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$3.73 CHF 2.94

-10.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.01

$4.99 CHF 3.94

-49.10%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.52

$8.16 CHF 6.44

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.74

$28.67 CHF 22.60

0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.39 CHF 28.69

$35.93 CHF 28.33

1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.90 CHF 34.61

$43.12 CHF 34.00

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.20

$3.98 CHF 3.14

-29.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$2.60 CHF 2.05

-18.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.22

$4.24 CHF 3.35

-33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.47

$6.96 CHF 5.49

-18.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$3.23 CHF 2.55

-30.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.62

$2.94 CHF 2.32

-30.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CHF 1.20

$1.55 CHF 1.22

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 CHF 8.21

$11.68 CHF 9.21

-10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CHF 8.39

$13.81 CHF 10.89

-22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.39 CHF 1.88

-6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$3.16 CHF 2.49

-30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.19 CHF 3.30

$4.58 CHF 3.61

-8.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$149 CHF 118

$105 CHF 82.4

42.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 CHF 6.83

$7.99 CHF 6.30

8.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 CHF 4.41

$4.31 CHF 3.40

29.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 68.9

$87.2 CHF 68.8

0.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$2.23 CHF 1.75

-1.35%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$40.4K CHF 31.9K

-1.53%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

$44.3K CHF 34.9K

-6.33%

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

$251 CHF 198

$306 CHF 241

-18.12%

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

$42.50 CHF 33.51

$53.5 CHF 42.20

-20.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.20

$58.9 CHF 46.40

1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 CHF 52.3

$90.3 CHF 71.2

-26.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.53 CHF 32.74

$42.50 CHF 33.51

-2.28%

Cinema Ticket

$22.96 CHF 18.10

$22.72 CHF 17.91

1.06%

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

$3,147 CHF 2,481

$2,574 CHF 2,029

22.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

$34.0K CHF 26.8K

-26.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 CHF 73.1

$134 CHF 105

-30.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 41.85

$88.3 CHF 69.6

-39.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CHF 88.9

$181 CHF 143

-37.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 CHF 136

$227 CHF 179

-23.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CHF 1,033

$2,112 CHF 1,665

-37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 CHF 811

$1,519 CHF 1,197

-32.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CHF 1,924

$3,828 CHF 3,018

-36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 CHF 1,641

$2,802 CHF 2,209

-25.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.6K CHF 8,330

$19.1K CHF 15.0K

-44.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,910

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

-11.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,301 CHF 5,756

$8,292 CHF 6,537

-11.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.55

-1.96%

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

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Last update for Basel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Aarau versus $2,112 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 14% 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 $106 in Aarau versus $156 in Basel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $685 – making Aarau 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

Aarau vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basel costs about 23% 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 $4,443 per month in Aarau and $5,479 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 43% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,147 per month in Aarau and $2,574 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 $2,962 in Aarau and $3,653 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 $2,962 versus $3,653 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.