Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Arbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Arbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,566 per month in Basel vs $3,446 in Arbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,581 per month in Basel vs $5,324 in Arbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,595 per month in Basel vs $7,202 in Arbon, rent included.

Basel costs about 3% more than Arbon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Basel and Arbon sit above the global median – Basel by 160%, Arbon by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.61 CHF 24.07

$31.29 CHF 25.44

-5.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 CHF 104

$150 CHF 122

-14.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.47 CHF 15.01

$19.92 CHF 16.19

-7.28%

Cappuccino

$6.76 CHF 5.50

$6.29 CHF 5.11

7.47%

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

$6.33 CHF 5.14

$6.09 CHF 4.95

3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 CHF 5.00

$5.47 CHF 4.44

12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 CHF 7.24

$9.32 CHF 7.57

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.07

$6.35 CHF 5.16

56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CHF 1.90

$2.27 CHF 1.85

3.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CHF 2.61

$3.17 CHF 2.58

1.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.73

$3.73 CHF 3.04

-9.92%

Eggs

$8.03 CHF 6.53

$8.07 CHF 6.56

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.94 CHF 21.90

$25.89 CHF 21.05

4.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.83 CHF 22.63

$28.96 CHF 23.54

-3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.82 CHF 34.00

$42.89 CHF 34.87

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.93

$3.64 CHF 2.96

-1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.91

$2.02 CHF 1.64

16.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.54

$2.39 CHF 1.94

30.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 CHF 3.93

$5.35 CHF 4.35

-9.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.40

$2.00 CHF 1.62

-13.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$2.27 CHF 1.85

-8.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.33

$1.22 CHF 1.00

33.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 9.26

$11.34 CHF 9.22

0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 CHF 10.09

$17.57 CHF 14.28

-29.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.13

$2.27 CHF 1.85

15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.61

$2.32 CHF 1.88

38.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 CHF 3.74

$4.22 CHF 3.43

9.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 88.2

$91.0 CHF 74.0

19.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 CHF 6.63

$6.63 CHF 5.39

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.67 CHF 3.80

$4.70 CHF 3.82

-0.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.9 CHF 69.8

$81.2 CHF 66.0

5.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.85

$2.33 CHF 1.89

-2.58%

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

$43.8K CHF 35.6K

$36.4K CHF 29.6K

20.56%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.4K

$40.9K CHF 33.3K

-2.81%

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

$304 CHF 247

$228 CHF 186

33.13%

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

$54.2 CHF 44.05

$38.84 CHF 31.58

39.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 CHF 52.6

$56.5 CHF 45.93

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.3 CHF 67.7

$79.5 CHF 64.6

4.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.5 CHF 47.56

$53.5 CHF 43.48

9.39%

Cinema Ticket

$23.78 CHF 19.34

$24.06 CHF 19.56

-1.16%

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

$3,055 CHF 2,484

$2,309 CHF 1,877

32.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K CHF 26.5K

$32.3K CHF 26.2K

1.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 120

$146 CHF 118

1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 66.4

$66.2 CHF 53.8

23.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 135

$149 CHF 121

11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 CHF 167

$188 CHF 153

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 CHF 1,703

$1,556 CHF 1,265

34.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 CHF 1,243

$1,342 CHF 1,091

13.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,547 CHF 2,884

$2,878 CHF 2,340

23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 CHF 2,329

$2,721 CHF 2,212

5.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K CHF 14.8K

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

-1.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.1K

$11.5K CHF 9,379

28.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,405 CHF 6,020

$11.6K CHF 9,446

-36.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

1.9

27.89%

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

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Last update for Arbon: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,095 in Basel versus $1,556 in Arbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 57% higher in Arbon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $128 in Basel versus $150 in Arbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $598 vs $605 – making Basel 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 Arbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,566 in Basel, $3,446 in Arbon – roughly 3% apart. Basel costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,349 per month in Basel and $5,170 in Arbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arbon, 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 $3,566 in Basel and $3,446 in Arbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Arbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,566 in Basel and $3,446 in Arbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Basel has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,446 in Arbon to $3,566 in Basel. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arbon. 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.