Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Altstätten and Basel

For one person, living costs are similar in Altstätten and in Basel: $3,740 and $3,709 a month, rent and utilities included.

Altstätten, Switzerland
Basel, Switzerland
Altstätten
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,740
/mo nomad
Basel
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,709
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Altstätten and in Basel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Altstätten and in Basel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,740 per month in Altstätten vs $3,709 in Basel, rent included.

  • Altstätten $3,740
  • Basel $3,709

A couple spends around $5,258 per month in Altstätten vs $5,695 in Basel, rent included.

  • Altstätten $5,258
  • Basel $5,695

A family of three spends $6,776 per month in Altstätten vs $7,682 in Basel, rent included.

  • Altstätten $6,776
  • Basel $7,682

Altstätten and Basel have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Altstätten and Basel sit above the global median – Altstätten by 177%, Basel by 174%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.38 CHF 24.80
$30.43 CHF 24.84
-0.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$121 CHF 98.9
$129 CHF 105
-6.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.27 CHF 14.92
$18.53 CHF 15.13
-1.40%
Cappuccino
$6.23 CHF 5.09
$6.34 CHF 5.18
-1.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.40 CHF 4.41
$6.44 CHF 5.26
-16.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96 CHF 4.05
$6.19 CHF 5.05
-19.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.25 CHF 7.55
$9.69 CHF 7.91
-4.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.50 CHF 6.12
$9.64 CHF 7.87
-22.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.19 CHF 1.79
$2.25 CHF 1.84
-2.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.63 CHF 2.96
$3.18 CHF 2.60
14.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.69 CHF 3.02
$3.33 CHF 2.72
10.81%
Eggs
$7.92 CHF 6.47
$8.20 CHF 6.70
-3.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$26.62 CHF 21.73
$26.64 CHF 21.75
-0.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.09 CHF 22.94
$27.19 CHF 22.20
3.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$40.58 CHF 33.13
$41.07 CHF 33.53
-1.19%
Apples (1kg)
$3.50 CHF 2.86
$3.57 CHF 2.91
-1.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 CHF 1.67
$2.29 CHF 1.87
-10.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.73 CHF 2.23
$2.95 CHF 2.41
-7.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 CHF 3.93
$4.64 CHF 3.79
3.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 CHF 1.47
$1.39 CHF 1.13
29.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 CHF 1.83
$1.92 CHF 1.57
16.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 CHF 1.99
$2.29 CHF 1.87
6.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 CHF 1.03
$1.64 CHF 1.34
-23.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.83 CHF 8.84
$11.52 CHF 9.41
-5.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.24 CHF 10.00
$12.01 CHF 9.80
1.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 CHF 2.31
$2.58 CHF 2.11
9.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 CHF 2.52
$3.14 CHF 2.57
-1.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.32 CHF 3.52
$5.20 CHF 4.25
-16.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.1 CHF 80.9
$106 CHF 86.5
-6.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.50 CHF 6.12
$8.02 CHF 6.55
-6.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.18 CHF 3.41
$4.60 CHF 3.75
-9.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.6 CHF 59.3
$86.6 CHF 70.7
-16.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.35 CHF 1.92
$2.36 CHF 1.93
-0.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.1K CHF 34.4K
$39.5K CHF 32.2K
6.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K CHF 31.8K
$39.9K CHF 32.6K
-2.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$256 CHF 209
$293 CHF 239
-12.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.76 CHF 25.11
$45.83 CHF 37.42
-32.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.5 CHF 47.76
$65.1 CHF 53.2
-10.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$75.6 CHF 61.8
$82.8 CHF 67.6
-8.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$43.38 CHF 35.41
$58.7 CHF 47.89
-26.05%
Cinema Ticket
$20.89 CHF 17.06
$23.03 CHF 18.80
-9.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,539 CHF 2,073
$3,165 CHF 2,584
-19.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.3K CHF 28.0K
$36.5K CHF 29.8K
-5.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$134 CHF 110
$148 CHF 121
-9.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$71.0 CHF 57.9
$81.0 CHF 66.1
-12.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$165 CHF 135
$161 CHF 131
2.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$193 CHF 158
$203 CHF 166
-4.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,720 CHF 1,404
$2,144 CHF 1,751
-19.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,812 CHF 1,480
$1,672 CHF 1,365
8.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,810 CHF 2,294
$3,637 CHF 2,970
-22.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,294 CHF 1,873
$2,971 CHF 2,426
-22.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$15.8K CHF 12.9K
$18.2K CHF 14.8K
-12.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.8K CHF 9,598
$13.4K CHF 11.0K
-12.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Altstätten
Basel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$6,781 CHF 5,536
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.03
2.42
-16.12%

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

Last update for Altstätten: November 1, 2026

Last update for Basel: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Altstätten
$1.8K
Basel
$1.7K 7.8% $141
Groceries & Markets
Altstätten
$591
Basel
$586 0.8% $4.8
Eating Out
Altstätten
$475
Basel
$493 3.8% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Altstätten
$345
Basel
$404 17% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Altstätten
$254
Basel
$267 5.2% $13
Getting Around
Altstätten
$145
Basel
$158 9% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Altstätten
$117
Basel
$129 9.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,720 in Altstätten versus $2,144 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 $121 in Altstätten versus $129 in Basel. Groceries tell a different story – $591 in Altstätten vs $586 in Basel – so Basel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Altstätten
🇨🇭 Basel
🕒 Local time
19:05 7:05 PM
19:05 7:05 PM
Same time as Altstätten
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,145
174,491
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.816 CHF (1 CHF = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 0.917 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Altstätten Basel 150 km
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  • Altstätten
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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
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,610 per month in Altstätten and $5,563 in Basel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Altstätten, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,720 there versus $2,144 in Basel.
Is eating out cheaper in Altstätten or in Basel?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Altstätten and $129 in Basel. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,539 per month in Altstätten and $3,165 in Basel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Altstätten or in Basel?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,740 in Altstätten and $3,709 in Basel. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Altstätten or in Basel?
It depends on your priorities. Basel has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,709 in Basel to $3,740 in Altstätten. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Altstätten or Basel?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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