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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,741 per month in Basel vs $3,464 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,905 per month in Basel vs $5,384 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,069 per month in Basel vs $7,305 in Altstätten, rent included.

Basel costs about 8% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Basel and Altstätten sit above the global median – Basel by 179%, Altstätten by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.45 CHF 24.09

$31.40 CHF 24.84

-3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$152 CHF 121

$141 CHF 112

8.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.99 CHF 15.81

$18.85 CHF 14.91

6.05%

Cappuccino

$6.65 CHF 5.26

$5.95 CHF 4.71

11.76%

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

$5.68 CHF 4.50

$5.39 CHF 4.26

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CHF 4.14

$4.90 CHF 3.87

6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.58 CHF 7.57

$8.17 CHF 6.46

17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 CHF 6.04

$7.33 CHF 5.80

4.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$2.15 CHF 1.70

2.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.03

$3.60 CHF 2.85

6.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 CHF 4.10

$4.19 CHF 3.31

23.63%

Eggs

$8.09 CHF 6.40

$7.62 CHF 6.03

6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.36 CHF 22.43

$28.48 CHF 22.53

-0.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$37.13 CHF 29.37

$33.38 CHF 26.40

11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.06 CHF 34.85

$47.18 CHF 37.32

-6.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CHF 3.02

$3.62 CHF 2.87

5.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.11

$2.33 CHF 1.84

14.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 CHF 3.29

$2.85 CHF 2.26

45.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.53

$6.14 CHF 4.85

13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 CHF 2.57

$2.53 CHF 2.00

28.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.34

$2.41 CHF 1.91

22.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$2.60 CHF 2.05

-2.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.24

$1.38 CHF 1.09

13.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CHF 9.28

$11.06 CHF 8.75

6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 CHF 11.94

$13.90 CHF 11.00

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$2.33 CHF 1.85

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CHF 2.41

$3.33 CHF 2.63

-8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.60

$3.97 CHF 3.14

14.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 82.9

$99.2 CHF 78.5

5.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 CHF 6.29

$7.67 CHF 6.07

3.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$4.27 CHF 3.37

0.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 CHF 67.8

$79.9 CHF 63.2

7.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$2.12 CHF 1.68

5.66%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

$40.8K CHF 32.3K

-2.95%

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

$44.8K CHF 35.4K

$41.9K CHF 33.1K

6.99%

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

$309 CHF 244

$258 CHF 204

20.02%

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

$53.1 CHF 42.03

$49.33 CHF 39.02

7.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CHF 47.79

$59.7 CHF 47.25

1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.0 CHF 72.0

$87.9 CHF 69.6

3.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.48 CHF 33.60

Cinema Ticket

$23.06 CHF 18.24

$23.00 CHF 18.19

0.26%

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

$2,609 CHF 2,064

$2,879 CHF 2,277

-9.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 27.5K

$34.1K CHF 27.0K

1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 105

$136 CHF 108

-2.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.1 CHF 68.9

$67.3 CHF 53.3

29.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 CHF 138

$150 CHF 118

16.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$231 CHF 182

$189 CHF 149

22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 CHF 1,682

$1,721 CHF 1,361

23.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 CHF 1,157

$1,455 CHF 1,151

0.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,757 CHF 2,971

$2,850 CHF 2,254

31.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,789 CHF 2,206

$2,475 CHF 1,958

12.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.9K CHF 14.2K

$15.2K CHF 12.0K

18.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.3K CHF 10.5K

$11.9K CHF 9,450

11.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,988 CHF 6,318

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,126 in Basel versus $1,721 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 $152 in Basel versus $141 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $696 vs $658 – 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 Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,612 per month in Basel and $5,196 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 $3,741 in Basel and $3,464 in Altstätten. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% 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 $3,741 in Basel and $3,464 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.