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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Basel costs about 23% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.72 CHF 24.22

$30.10 CHF 23.73

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$156 CHF 123

$106 CHF 83.6

46.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.37 CHF 15.27

$19.44 CHF 15.33

-0.36%

Cappuccino

$6.75 CHF 5.32

$6.35 CHF 5.01

6.30%

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

$5.67 CHF 4.47

$3.34 CHF 2.63

69.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 CHF 3.96

$4.83 CHF 3.80

3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.09 CHF 7.95

$8.16 CHF 6.43

23.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CHF 5.87

$7.32 CHF 5.77

1.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$2.17 CHF 1.71

3.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 CHF 2.94

$3.34 CHF 2.63

11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 CHF 3.94

$2.54 CHF 2.01

96.46%

Eggs

$8.16 CHF 6.44

$7.00 CHF 5.52

16.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.67 CHF 22.60

$28.84 CHF 22.74

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.93 CHF 28.33

$36.39 CHF 28.69

-1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.12 CHF 34.00

$43.90 CHF 34.61

-1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CHF 3.14

$2.80 CHF 2.20

42.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 CHF 2.05

$2.13 CHF 1.68

22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.35

$2.81 CHF 2.22

50.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.96 CHF 5.49

$5.67 CHF 4.47

22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$2.26 CHF 1.78

42.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.32

$2.05 CHF 1.62

43.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CHF 1.22

$1.52 CHF 1.20

1.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 CHF 9.21

$10.41 CHF 8.21

12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.89

$10.64 CHF 8.39

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.88

$2.23 CHF 1.76

7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.49

$2.20 CHF 1.73

43.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 CHF 3.61

$4.19 CHF 3.30

9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 82.4

$149 CHF 118

-29.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.99 CHF 6.30

$8.66 CHF 6.83

-7.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.40

$5.60 CHF 4.41

-23.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.2 CHF 68.8

$87.4 CHF 68.9

-0.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$2.20 CHF 1.74

1.36%

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

$40.4K CHF 31.9K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

1.55%

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

$44.3K CHF 34.9K

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

6.75%

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

$306 CHF 241

$251 CHF 198

22.14%

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

$53.5 CHF 42.20

$42.50 CHF 33.51

25.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 CHF 46.40

$59.9 CHF 47.20

-1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.3 CHF 71.2

$66.3 CHF 52.3

36.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.50 CHF 33.51

$41.53 CHF 32.74

2.34%

Cinema Ticket

$22.72 CHF 17.91

$22.96 CHF 18.10

-1.05%

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

$2,574 CHF 2,029

$3,147 CHF 2,481

-18.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K CHF 26.8K

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

35.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 CHF 105

$92.7 CHF 73.1

44.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.3 CHF 69.6

$53.1 CHF 41.85

66.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 CHF 143

$113 CHF 88.9

60.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$227 CHF 179

$172 CHF 136

31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 CHF 1,665

$1,310 CHF 1,033

61.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 CHF 1,197

$1,029 CHF 811

47.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,828 CHF 3,018

$2,440 CHF 1,924

56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,802 CHF 2,209

$2,082 CHF 1,641

34.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.1K CHF 15.0K

$10.6K CHF 8,330

80.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K CHF 11.2K

$12.6K CHF 9,910

13.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,292 CHF 6,537

$7,301 CHF 5,756

13.57%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,112 in Basel versus $1,310 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 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 $156 in Basel versus $106 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $685 vs $636 – 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 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 $5,479 per month in Basel and $4,443 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 43% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

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