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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,610 per month in Basel vs $3,458 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,659 per month in Basel vs $5,270 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,707 per month in Basel vs $7,082 in Altstätten, rent included.

Basel costs about 4% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Basel and Altstätten sit above the global median – Basel by 164%, Altstätten by 153%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.86 CHF 25.48

$31.45 CHF 25.96

-1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 104

$122 CHF 101

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 15.27

$18.47 CHF 15.24

0.16%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.54

$6.30 CHF 5.20

6.67%

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

$6.38 CHF 5.27

$5.38 CHF 4.44

18.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CHF 4.79

$5.05 CHF 4.17

14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.60 CHF 7.93

$9.20 CHF 7.59

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.74 CHF 8.04

$7.26 CHF 5.99

34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.86

$2.27 CHF 1.87

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CHF 2.49

$3.83 CHF 3.16

-21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CHF 2.76

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-14.14%

Eggs

$8.26 CHF 6.82

$7.69 CHF 6.35

7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.04 CHF 21.50

$26.62 CHF 21.97

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.62 CHF 22.80

$27.76 CHF 22.91

-0.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.64 CHF 34.37

$41.65 CHF 34.38

-0.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 CHF 2.93

$3.68 CHF 3.04

-3.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.87

$2.04 CHF 1.69

11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.43

$2.77 CHF 2.28

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 CHF 3.82

$4.93 CHF 4.07

-6.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CHF 1.46

$1.84 CHF 1.52

-3.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.65

$2.11 CHF 1.74

-5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 CHF 1.81

$2.28 CHF 1.88

-3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CHF 1.31

$1.34 CHF 1.10

18.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.43 CHF 9.43

$11.17 CHF 9.22

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 CHF 10.00

$13.39 CHF 11.05

-9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CHF 2.08

$2.74 CHF 2.26

-8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CHF 2.50

$3.07 CHF 2.53

-1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 CHF 3.77

$4.57 CHF 3.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 87.6

$101 CHF 83.0

5.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 CHF 6.52

$7.89 CHF 6.51

0.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.58 CHF 3.78

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.3 CHF 71.3

$81.5 CHF 67.3

5.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.87

$2.20 CHF 1.81

2.73%

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

$43.2K CHF 35.6K

$42.0K CHF 34.6K

2.89%

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

$40.5K CHF 33.4K

-0.03%

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

$295 CHF 244

$284 CHF 234

4.13%

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

$53.7 CHF 44.36

$34.06 CHF 28.12

57.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 CHF 53.0

$58.1 CHF 47.96

10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 CHF 69.5

$90.8 CHF 74.9

-7.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.7 CHF 47.61

$45.78 CHF 37.79

25.99%

Cinema Ticket

$23.28 CHF 19.21

$23.15 CHF 19.11

0.56%

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

$3,047 CHF 2,515

$2,746 CHF 2,267

10.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.5K

$35.1K CHF 28.9K

-5.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$145 CHF 120

$142 CHF 117

2.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.2 CHF 66.2

$60.0 CHF 49.53

33.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$161 CHF 133

$168 CHF 139

-4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 164

$191 CHF 158

4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 CHF 1,728

$1,757 CHF 1,450

19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,538 CHF 1,269

$1,466 CHF 1,210

4.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,533 CHF 2,917

$2,924 CHF 2,413

20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 CHF 2,328

$2,562 CHF 2,115

10.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K CHF 15.1K

$16.2K CHF 13.3K

12.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.7K CHF 12.1K

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

17.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,077 CHF 5,841

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 14, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,093 in Basel versus $1,757 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 $126 in Basel versus $122 in Altstätten. Groceries tell a different story – $587 in Basel vs $599 in Altstätten – so Basel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,415 per month in Basel and $5,187 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 $3,610 in Basel and $3,458 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 $3,610 in Basel and $3,458 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.