Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Altstätten Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Altstätten

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,725 per month in Basel vs $3,454 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,789 per month in Basel vs $5,350 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,853 per month in Basel vs $7,246 in Altstätten, rent included.

Basel costs about 8% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Basel and Altstätten sit above the global median – Basel by 180%, Altstätten by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.01 CHF 25.03

$30.94 CHF 24.97

0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 124

$142 CHF 115

8.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.45 CHF 15.69

$18.68 CHF 15.08

4.12%

Cappuccino

$6.66 CHF 5.38

$6.08 CHF 4.90

9.54%

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

$5.74 CHF 4.63

$5.25 CHF 4.24

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CHF 4.04

$4.87 CHF 3.93

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.58 CHF 7.73

$8.18 CHF 6.60

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.70 CHF 6.21

$7.28 CHF 5.88

5.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.79

$2.17 CHF 1.75

2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 CHF 3.02

$3.59 CHF 2.90

4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 CHF 4.04

$4.08 CHF 3.29

22.55%

Eggs

$7.91 CHF 6.39

$7.32 CHF 5.91

8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.24 CHF 23.60

$29.14 CHF 23.51

0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$37.30 CHF 30.10

$32.97 CHF 26.61

13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.14 CHF 34.81

$47.40 CHF 38.25

-8.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$3.81 CHF 3.07

0.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$2.34 CHF 1.89

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CHF 3.27

$2.89 CHF 2.34

40.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.86 CHF 5.54

$6.23 CHF 5.03

10.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$2.53 CHF 2.04

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.29

$2.43 CHF 1.96

16.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.51 CHF 2.03

4.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.20

$1.34 CHF 1.08

11.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 CHF 9.33

$10.91 CHF 8.81

5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 CHF 10.76

$12.89 CHF 10.40

3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.35 CHF 1.90

-0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.45

$3.21 CHF 2.59

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.56 CHF 3.68

$4.00 CHF 3.23

14.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 86.8

$97.0 CHF 78.3

10.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 CHF 6.50

$7.89 CHF 6.37

2.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 CHF 3.38

$4.14 CHF 3.34

1.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 CHF 69.2

$80.6 CHF 65.0

6.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.15 CHF 1.74

1.86%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.8K

$40.2K CHF 32.5K

1.13%

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

$44.9K CHF 36.2K

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

6.57%

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

$303 CHF 245

$258 CHF 208

17.62%

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

$53.2 CHF 42.90

$49.09 CHF 39.61

8.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 47.23

$59.8 CHF 48.26

-2.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.7 CHF 73.2

$87.6 CHF 70.7

3.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.34 CHF 34.17

$50.3 CHF 40.60

-15.84%

Cinema Ticket

$22.39 CHF 18.07

$22.51 CHF 18.17

-0.53%

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

$2,538 CHF 2,048

$2,948 CHF 2,379

-13.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.8K

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

-1.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 109

$134 CHF 108

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.2 CHF 71.9

$67.2 CHF 54.3

32.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 141

$151 CHF 121

16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$227 CHF 183

$190 CHF 154

18.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 CHF 1,699

$1,689 CHF 1,363

24.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 CHF 1,209

$1,489 CHF 1,201

0.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,749 CHF 3,025

$2,867 CHF 2,313

30.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 CHF 2,331

$2,421 CHF 1,954

19.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.3K CHF 14.8K

$12.8K CHF 10.4K

42.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.3K CHF 11.5K

$11.6K CHF 9,330

23.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,099 CHF 5,729

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 27, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,105 in Basel versus $1,689 in Altstätten. 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 $154 in Basel versus $142 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $689 vs $656 – making Altstätten 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 Altstätten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Basel is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,588 per month in Basel and $5,181 in Altstätten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Altstätten, 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 $3,725 in Basel and $3,454 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Altstätten. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,725 in Basel and $3,454 in Altstätten. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Altstätten – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Altstätten. 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.