Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Arbon and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,446 per month in Arbon vs $3,566 in Basel, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,324 per month in Arbon vs $5,581 in Basel, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,202 per month in Arbon vs $7,595 in Basel, rent included.

Arbon is about 3% cheaper than Basel, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arbon and Basel sit above the global median – Arbon by 151%, Basel by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CHF 25.44

$29.61 CHF 24.07

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 122

$128 CHF 104

17.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.92 CHF 16.19

$18.47 CHF 15.01

7.85%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 5.11

$6.76 CHF 5.50

-6.95%

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

$6.09 CHF 4.95

$6.33 CHF 5.14

-3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 CHF 4.44

$6.15 CHF 5.00

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.32 CHF 7.57

$8.91 CHF 7.24

4.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 CHF 5.16

$9.93 CHF 8.07

-36.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.34 CHF 1.90

-2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 CHF 2.58

$3.22 CHF 2.61

-1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 3.04

$3.36 CHF 2.73

11.01%

Eggs

$8.07 CHF 6.56

$8.03 CHF 6.53

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 CHF 21.05

$26.94 CHF 21.90

-3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.96 CHF 23.54

$27.83 CHF 22.63

4.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.89 CHF 34.87

$41.82 CHF 34.00

2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CHF 2.96

$3.60 CHF 2.93

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 CHF 1.64

$2.35 CHF 1.91

-14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$3.12 CHF 2.54

-23.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 CHF 4.35

$4.84 CHF 3.93

10.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.62

$1.73 CHF 1.40

15.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.07 CHF 1.68

9.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 1.00

$1.63 CHF 1.33

-25.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 CHF 9.22

$11.39 CHF 9.26

-0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.57 CHF 14.28

$12.41 CHF 10.09

41.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.62 CHF 2.13

-13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.88

$3.21 CHF 2.61

-27.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$4.60 CHF 3.74

-8.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 CHF 74.0

$108 CHF 88.2

-16.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 CHF 5.39

$8.16 CHF 6.63

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$4.67 CHF 3.80

0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.2 CHF 66.0

$85.9 CHF 69.8

-5.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.27 CHF 1.85

2.64%

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

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

$43.8K CHF 35.6K

-17.05%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

$39.8K CHF 32.4K

2.89%

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

$228 CHF 186

$304 CHF 247

-24.88%

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

$38.84 CHF 31.58

$54.2 CHF 44.05

-28.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 45.93

$64.7 CHF 52.6

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.5 CHF 64.6

$83.3 CHF 67.7

-4.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 CHF 43.48

$58.5 CHF 47.56

-8.58%

Cinema Ticket

$24.06 CHF 19.56

$23.78 CHF 19.34

1.18%

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

$2,309 CHF 1,877

$3,055 CHF 2,484

-24.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

-0.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$147 CHF 120

-1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 CHF 53.8

$81.7 CHF 66.4

-19.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 CHF 121

$166 CHF 135

-10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$188 CHF 153

$206 CHF 167

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 CHF 1,265

$2,095 CHF 1,703

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 CHF 1,091

$1,529 CHF 1,243

-12.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 CHF 2,340

$3,547 CHF 2,884

-18.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,212

$2,865 CHF 2,329

-5.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$18.2K CHF 14.8K

1.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,379

$14.8K CHF 12.1K

-22.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$11.6K CHF 9,446

$7,405 CHF 6,020

56.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

2.43

-21.81%

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

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Arbon 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 57% higher in Arbon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $150 in Arbon versus $128 in Basel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 vs $598 – making Basel 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

Arbon vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,446 in Arbon, $3,566 in Basel – roughly 3% apart. Basel costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,170 per month in Arbon 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 Arbon, 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 $3,446 in Arbon and $3,566 in Basel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Arbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,446 in Arbon and $3,566 in Basel. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Basel has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,446 in Arbon to $3,566 in Basel. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arbon. 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.