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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,606 per month in Basel vs $2,999 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,819 per month in Basel vs $4,746 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,033 per month in Basel vs $6,493 in Aarau, rent included.

Basel costs about 20% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Basel and Aarau sit above the global median – Basel by 170%, Aarau by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.16 CHF 25.24

$29.41 CHF 23.82

5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 125

$108 CHF 87.1

43.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.41 CHF 15.72

$18.71 CHF 15.16

3.74%

Cappuccino

$6.73 CHF 5.45

$6.23 CHF 5.05

8.03%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.43

$3.36 CHF 2.72

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CHF 4.22

$4.96 CHF 4.01

5.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.82

$8.04 CHF 6.51

20.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 5.92

$7.33 CHF 5.93

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.09 CHF 1.69

5.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 CHF 3.14

$3.21 CHF 2.60

20.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 CHF 4.20

$2.51 CHF 2.03

106.77%

Eggs

$7.82 CHF 6.34

$6.79 CHF 5.50

15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.51 CHF 23.09

$28.96 CHF 23.46

-1.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.76 CHF 29.78

$36.04 CHF 29.19

2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.22 CHF 35.82

$44.72 CHF 36.23

-1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$2.79 CHF 2.26

40.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$2.10 CHF 1.70

30.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$2.78 CHF 2.25

50.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.66

$5.89 CHF 4.77

18.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$2.26 CHF 1.83

44.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$2.09 CHF 1.69

42.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

$1.45 CHF 1.17

2.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 CHF 9.58

$10.39 CHF 8.42

13.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 CHF 11.08

$10.41 CHF 8.43

31.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.96

$2.32 CHF 1.88

4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$2.18 CHF 1.76

39.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 CHF 3.86

$4.39 CHF 3.55

8.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 85.1

$148 CHF 120

-29.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.42

$8.57 CHF 6.94

-7.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.36 CHF 3.53

$5.52 CHF 4.47

-21.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 70.8

$88.5 CHF 71.7

-1.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-1.35%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

$41.2K CHF 33.4K

-0.98%

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

$45.1K CHF 36.6K

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

5.24%

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

$302 CHF 245

$250 CHF 203

20.85%

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

$54.0 CHF 43.74

$43.25 CHF 35.03

24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 CHF 47.69

$58.2 CHF 47.13

1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 CHF 73.6

$67.4 CHF 54.6

34.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 CHF 33.52

$41.92 CHF 33.95

-1.29%

Cinema Ticket

$23.17 CHF 18.77

$23.86 CHF 19.32

-2.89%

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

$2,533 CHF 2,052

$3,189 CHF 2,583

-20.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

$25.2K CHF 20.4K

34.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 110

$92.1 CHF 74.6

47.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.6 CHF 71.0

$54.2 CHF 43.93

61.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 CHF 146

$109 CHF 88.3

64.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$230 CHF 186

$172 CHF 139

33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 CHF 1,704

$1,298 CHF 1,051

62.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 CHF 1,224

$1,058 CHF 857

42.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,742 CHF 3,031

$2,490 CHF 2,017

50.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,829 CHF 2,292

$2,075 CHF 1,680

36.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

$10.2K CHF 8,301

83.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$12.1K CHF 9,762

20.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,175 CHF 5,812

$7,069 CHF 5,726

1.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.55

2.5

2.00%

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

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aarau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,103 in Basel versus $1,298 in Aarau. 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 1% 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 $154 in Basel versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $692 vs $634 – 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

Basel vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basel costs about 20% 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 $5,409 per month in Basel and $4,498 in Aarau. 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 41% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,533 per month in Basel and $3,189 in Aarau. 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 $3,606 in Basel and $2,999 in Aarau. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aarau costs $2,999 versus $3,606 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.