Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,464 per month in Altstätten vs $3,741 in Basel, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,384 per month in Altstätten vs $5,905 in Basel, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,305 per month in Altstätten vs $8,069 in Basel, rent included.

Altstätten is about 7% cheaper than Basel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Altstätten and Basel sit above the global median – Altstätten by 159%, Basel by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.40 CHF 24.81

$30.45 CHF 24.06

3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 111

$152 CHF 120

-7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.85 CHF 14.89

$19.99 CHF 15.79

-5.70%

Cappuccino

$5.95 CHF 4.70

$6.65 CHF 5.25

-10.53%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.26

$5.68 CHF 4.49

-5.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.87

$5.23 CHF 4.13

-6.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 CHF 6.45

$9.58 CHF 7.57

-14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.79

$7.64 CHF 6.04

-4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.21 CHF 1.75

-2.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 CHF 2.85

$3.83 CHF 3.03

-6.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.31

$5.18 CHF 4.09

-19.11%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.02

$8.09 CHF 6.39

-5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.48 CHF 22.50

$28.36 CHF 22.41

0.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.38 CHF 26.37

$37.13 CHF 29.33

-10.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.18 CHF 37.27

$44.06 CHF 34.81

7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CHF 2.86

$3.81 CHF 3.01

-4.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$2.67 CHF 2.11

-12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$4.15 CHF 3.28

-31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 CHF 4.85

$6.99 CHF 5.52

-12.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$3.24 CHF 2.56

-21.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$2.96 CHF 2.34

-18.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.05

$2.53 CHF 2.00

2.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.09

$1.57 CHF 1.24

-12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.74

$11.73 CHF 9.27

-5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 10.98

$15.10 CHF 11.93

-7.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.84

$2.35 CHF 1.85

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.63

$3.05 CHF 2.41

9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 CHF 3.14

$4.55 CHF 3.60

-12.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 CHF 78.4

$105 CHF 82.8

-5.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 CHF 6.06

$7.96 CHF 6.29

-3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.37

$4.28 CHF 3.38

-0.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.9 CHF 63.1

$85.8 CHF 67.8

-6.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.68

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-5.36%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

3.04%

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

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

$44.8K CHF 35.4K

-6.53%

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

$258 CHF 203

$309 CHF 244

-16.68%

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

$49.33 CHF 38.97

$53.1 CHF 41.98

-7.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CHF 47.19

$60.4 CHF 47.73

-1.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 69.5

$91.0 CHF 71.9

-3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.48 CHF 33.56

Cinema Ticket

$23.00 CHF 18.17

$23.06 CHF 18.22

-0.26%

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

$2,879 CHF 2,274

$2,609 CHF 2,061

10.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

$34.8K CHF 27.5K

-1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 108

$133 CHF 105

2.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 CHF 53.2

$87.1 CHF 68.8

-22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 118

$174 CHF 138

-14.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 149

$231 CHF 182

-18.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 CHF 1,359

$2,126 CHF 1,680

-19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 CHF 1,150

$1,463 CHF 1,156

-0.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,850 CHF 2,251

$3,757 CHF 2,968

-24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 1,955

$2,789 CHF 2,203

-11.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

$17.9K CHF 14.1K

-15.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,438

$13.3K CHF 10.5K

-10.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,988 CHF 6,310

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 Altstätten: April 26, 2026

Last update for Basel: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,721 in Altstätten versus $2,126 in Basel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $141 in Altstätten versus $152 in Basel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $658 vs $696 – making Altstätten 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

Altstätten vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Basel is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,196 per month in Altstätten and $5,612 in Basel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,464 in Altstätten and $3,741 in Basel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,464 in Altstätten and $3,741 in Basel. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Altstätten. 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.