Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Interlaken Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Interlaken

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,566 in Basel versus $4,045 in Interlaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,581 in Basel versus $6,222 in Interlaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,595 in Basel versus $8,399 in Interlaken.

Living in Basel costs roughly 12% less than in Interlaken, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 160% above, Interlaken 194% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.61 CHF 23.91

$30.88 CHF 24.94

-4.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 CHF 103

$98.0 CHF 79.1

30.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.47 CHF 14.91

$18.46 CHF 14.90

0.05%

Cappuccino

$6.76 CHF 5.46

$5.42 CHF 4.37

24.72%

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

$6.33 CHF 5.11

$5.44 CHF 4.40

16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 CHF 4.97

$3.65 CHF 2.95

68.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 CHF 7.19

$8.21 CHF 6.63

8.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.02

$5.62 CHF 4.54

76.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$1.70 CHF 1.37

37.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$3.62 CHF 2.92

-11.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.71

$4.79 CHF 3.87

-29.85%

Eggs

$8.03 CHF 6.48

$7.71 CHF 6.23

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.94 CHF 21.75

$31.60 CHF 25.52

-14.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.83 CHF 22.47

$30.12 CHF 24.32

-7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.82 CHF 33.77

$43.77 CHF 35.34

-4.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.91

$4.05 CHF 3.27

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$1.65 CHF 1.33

42.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.52

$2.81 CHF 2.27

11.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 CHF 3.91

$3.14 CHF 2.54

54.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.39

$1.34 CHF 1.08

29.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$1.77 CHF 1.43

16.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.24 CHF 1.81

4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.32

$1.23 CHF 0.99

32.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 9.20

$11.34 CHF 9.15

0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 CHF 10.02

$13.27 CHF 10.72

-6.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.12

$2.27 CHF 1.84

15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.59

$4.00 CHF 3.23

-19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 CHF 3.72

$4.27 CHF 3.45

7.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 87.6

$202 CHF 163

-46.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 CHF 6.59

$6.23 CHF 5.03

30.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.67 CHF 3.77

$6.13 CHF 4.95

-23.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.9 CHF 69.3

$61.4 CHF 49.60

39.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.84

$2.18 CHF 1.76

4.13%

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

$43.8K CHF 35.4K

$43.2K CHF 34.9K

1.51%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$39.5K CHF 31.9K

0.86%

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

$304 CHF 245

$371 CHF 299

-18.01%

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

$54.2 CHF 43.75

$31.64 CHF 25.55

71.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 CHF 52.2

$75.5 CHF 61.0

-14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.3 CHF 67.3

$97.0 CHF 78.4

-14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.5 CHF 47.24

Cinema Ticket

$23.78 CHF 19.21

$28.73 CHF 23.20

-17.23%

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

$3,055 CHF 2,467

$3,768 CHF 3,043

-18.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K CHF 26.3K

$33.3K CHF 26.9K

-2.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 119

$159 CHF 128

-7.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 66.0

$124 CHF 100

-34.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 134

$202 CHF 163

-17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 CHF 166

$328 CHF 265

-37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 CHF 1,691

$1,979 CHF 1,598

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 CHF 1,235

$1,611 CHF 1,301

-5.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,547 CHF 2,864

$3,404 CHF 2,749

4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 CHF 2,313

$3,502 CHF 2,828

-18.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K CHF 14.7K

$12.2K CHF 9,885

49.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$8,576 CHF 6,925

73.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,405 CHF 5,979

$7,651 CHF 6,178

-3.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

2.48

-2.02%

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

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Last update for Interlaken: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,095 in Basel and $1,979 in Interlaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $128 in Basel vs $98.0 in Interlaken. Groceries flip the comparison at $598 vs $614, with Basel cheaper for home cooking.

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 Interlaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Basel wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Interlaken. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Basel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Interlaken. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,095 in Basel versus $1,979 in Interlaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,055 in Basel versus $3,768 in Interlaken. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Interlaken. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Basel is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Basel delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,566 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Basel hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Interlaken are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Basel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Interlaken. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.