Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Acquarossa Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Acquarossa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,544 in Basel versus $3,668 in Acquarossa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,518 in Basel versus $5,743 in Acquarossa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,492 in Basel versus $7,818 in Acquarossa.

Living in Basel costs roughly 3% less than in Acquarossa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 157% above, Acquarossa 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 CHF 24.42

$37.10 CHF 30.28

-19.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 102

$146 CHF 119

-13.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.69 CHF 15.25

$18.35 CHF 14.97

1.85%

Cappuccino

$6.73 CHF 5.49

$7.26 CHF 5.93

-7.30%

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

$6.33 CHF 5.17

$6.13 CHF 5.00

3.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CHF 4.78

$5.34 CHF 4.36

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 CHF 7.62

$10.09 CHF 8.23

-7.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 CHF 8.22

$8.61 CHF 7.02

16.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.23 CHF 1.82

4.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 CHF 2.49

$3.89 CHF 3.17

-21.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$3.99 CHF 3.26

-16.79%

Eggs

$8.34 CHF 6.80

$8.42 CHF 6.87

-0.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.21 CHF 21.39

$28.01 CHF 22.86

-6.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.85 CHF 22.73

$27.03 CHF 22.06

3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.56 CHF 34.73

$61.5 CHF 50.2

-30.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.99

$4.28 CHF 3.49

-14.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.96

$2.98 CHF 2.43

-19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.44

$3.52 CHF 2.87

-15.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 CHF 3.94

$4.73 CHF 3.86

2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CHF 1.46

$2.70 CHF 2.20

-33.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CHF 1.59

$2.31 CHF 1.88

-15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$2.52 CHF 2.06

-7.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.36

$1.33 CHF 1.08

24.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 CHF 9.49

$10.99 CHF 8.97

5.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 CHF 9.99

$13.48 CHF 11.00

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.81 CHF 2.29

-11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.59

$3.25 CHF 2.65

-2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 CHF 3.63

$4.90 CHF 4.00

-9.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 88.3

$102 CHF 83.0

6.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$8.53 CHF 6.96

-6.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.75

$4.61 CHF 3.76

-0.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 71.8

$91.8 CHF 74.9

-4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.87

$2.39 CHF 1.95

-4.18%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

9.66%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.3K

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

-0.93%

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

$299 CHF 244

$281 CHF 230

6.07%

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

$53.3 CHF 43.47

$38.61 CHF 31.51

37.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CHF 53.9

$57.7 CHF 47.04

14.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 CHF 70.0

$88.3 CHF 72.0

-2.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.0 CHF 48.17

$48.05 CHF 39.21

22.85%

Cinema Ticket

$23.81 CHF 19.44

$25.69 CHF 20.96

-7.32%

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

$3,026 CHF 2,470

$3,671 CHF 2,996

-17.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$42.6K CHF 34.8K

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 120

-0.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.6 CHF 66.6

$59.1 CHF 48.25

38.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 CHF 134

$171 CHF 140

-4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 162

$267 CHF 218

-25.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 CHF 1,747

$1,666 CHF 1,359

28.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CHF 1,247

$1,658 CHF 1,353

-7.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,615 CHF 2,950

$3,304 CHF 2,696

9.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,890 CHF 2,358

$2,306 CHF 1,882

25.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$17.7K CHF 14.4K

4.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

$13.9K CHF 11.4K

4.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,336 CHF 5,987

$12.1K CHF 9,912

-39.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

2.07

17.39%

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

Last update for Basel: September 6, 2026

Last update for Acquarossa: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,141 in Basel and $1,666 in Acquarossa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acquarossa pays 66% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $125 in Basel vs $146 in Acquarossa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $678 per month, with Basel cheaper across the board.

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 Acquarossa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basel wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Acquarossa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Acquarossa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,141 in Basel versus $1,666 in Acquarossa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Acquarossa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basel – a meal for two runs $125 versus $146 in Acquarossa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Basel is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Basel delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,544 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Basel hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Acquarossa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Basel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Acquarossa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.