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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,706 per month in Basel vs $3,472 in Altstätten, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,904 per month in Basel vs $5,343 in Altstätten, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,102 per month in Basel vs $7,214 in Altstätten, rent included.

Basel costs about 7% more than Altstätten, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Basel and Altstätten sit above the global median – Basel by 176%, Altstätten by 158%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.07 CHF 24.67

$31.06 CHF 24.66

0.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$155 CHF 123

$144 CHF 114

7.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.81 CHF 15.72

$18.18 CHF 14.44

8.97%

Cappuccino

$6.98 CHF 5.54

$6.09 CHF 4.84

14.61%

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

$5.69 CHF 4.52

$5.39 CHF 4.28

5.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CHF 3.97

$4.73 CHF 3.76

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 CHF 7.78

$8.33 CHF 6.62

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 CHF 6.07

$7.23 CHF 5.74

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.13 CHF 1.69

4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.05

$3.58 CHF 2.84

7.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 CHF 3.97

$4.14 CHF 3.28

20.77%

Eggs

$8.00 CHF 6.35

$7.53 CHF 5.98

6.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.50 CHF 22.62

$29.23 CHF 23.21

-2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.38 CHF 28.88

$32.90 CHF 26.12

10.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.61 CHF 35.42

$47.54 CHF 37.74

-6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.14

$3.76 CHF 2.99

5.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 CHF 2.14

$2.27 CHF 1.80

18.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.37

$2.90 CHF 2.30

46.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 CHF 5.43

$6.14 CHF 4.87

11.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CHF 2.50

$2.42 CHF 1.92

30.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.27

$2.45 CHF 1.95

16.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.09

$2.59 CHF 2.06

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CHF 1.19

$1.31 CHF 1.04

14.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.55 CHF 9.17

$11.18 CHF 8.87

3.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CHF 11.03

$13.81 CHF 10.96

0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.88

$2.44 CHF 1.93

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CHF 2.43

$3.22 CHF 2.55

-4.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 CHF 3.71

$3.95 CHF 3.13

18.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 85.7

$97.5 CHF 77.4

10.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 CHF 6.40

$7.69 CHF 6.11

4.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.28 CHF 3.40

$4.17 CHF 3.31

2.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.2 CHF 69.2

$79.5 CHF 63.2

9.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.19 CHF 1.74

1.37%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.7K

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

-1.57%

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

$44.8K CHF 35.5K

$40.9K CHF 32.4K

9.56%

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

$308 CHF 245

$256 CHF 203

20.62%

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

$55.1 CHF 43.74

$48.37 CHF 38.40

13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.51

$57.7 CHF 45.80

3.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 CHF 71.8

$88.9 CHF 70.6

1.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.81 CHF 33.19

Cinema Ticket

$23.10 CHF 18.34

$22.76 CHF 18.07

1.49%

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

$2,555 CHF 2,029

$2,854 CHF 2,266

-10.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.2K CHF 27.2K

$34.8K CHF 27.6K

-1.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 106

$139 CHF 111

-4.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.4 CHF 68.6

$66.7 CHF 53.0

29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 139

$146 CHF 116

19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$234 CHF 186

$189 CHF 150

24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CHF 1,672

$1,732 CHF 1,375

21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CHF 1,178

$1,491 CHF 1,184

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,757 CHF 2,982

$2,863 CHF 2,273

31.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,891 CHF 2,295

$2,432 CHF 1,931

18.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.7K CHF 14.8K

$14.9K CHF 11.8K

25.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

$10.5K CHF 8,351

32.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,072 CHF 6,408

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Altstätten: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,106 in Basel versus $1,732 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 $155 in Basel versus $144 in Altstätten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $691 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 7%, 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 $5,558 per month in Basel and $5,208 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 $3,706 in Basel and $3,472 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 $3,706 in Basel and $3,472 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.