Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Kreuzlingen Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Kreuzlingen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,706 in Basel versus $3,472 in Kreuzlingen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,904 in Basel versus $5,253 in Kreuzlingen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,102 in Basel versus $7,034 in Kreuzlingen.

Living in Basel is roughly 7% more expensive than Kreuzlingen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 176% above, Kreuzlingen 158% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.07 CHF 24.67

$37.03 CHF 29.40

-16.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$155 CHF 123

$144 CHF 115

7.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.81 CHF 15.72

$16.17 CHF 12.83

22.51%

Cappuccino

$6.98 CHF 5.54

$6.49 CHF 5.15

7.55%

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

$5.69 CHF 4.52

$5.26 CHF 4.18

8.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CHF 3.97

$4.24 CHF 3.36

17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 CHF 7.78

$8.70 CHF 6.91

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 CHF 6.07

$7.54 CHF 5.99

1.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.05

$3.68 CHF 2.92

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 CHF 3.97

$4.21 CHF 3.35

18.76%

Eggs

$8.00 CHF 6.35

$7.97 CHF 6.32

0.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.50 CHF 22.62

$18.21 CHF 14.46

56.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.38 CHF 28.88

$26.73 CHF 21.22

36.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.61 CHF 35.42

$31.06 CHF 24.66

43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CHF 3.14

$3.68 CHF 2.92

7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 CHF 2.14

$2.21 CHF 1.76

22.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.37

$3.00 CHF 2.38

41.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 CHF 5.43

$6.16 CHF 4.89

11.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CHF 2.50

$2.49 CHF 1.97

26.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.27

$2.47 CHF 1.96

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.09

$2.68 CHF 2.13

-1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CHF 1.19

$1.22 CHF 0.97

22.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.55 CHF 9.17

$11.01 CHF 8.74

4.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 CHF 11.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.88

$2.48 CHF 1.97

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CHF 2.43

$3.41 CHF 2.71

-10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.67 CHF 3.71

$4.01 CHF 3.19

16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 85.7

$98.5 CHF 78.2

9.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 CHF 6.40

$8.29 CHF 6.58

-2.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.28 CHF 3.40

$4.49 CHF 3.57

-4.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.2 CHF 69.2

$88.6 CHF 70.4

-1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$2.05 CHF 1.62

8.29%

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

$39.9K CHF 31.7K

$41.0K CHF 32.5K

-2.49%

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

$44.8K CHF 35.5K

$41.9K CHF 33.3K

6.84%

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

$308 CHF 245

$243 CHF 193

26.96%

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

$55.1 CHF 43.74

$62.3 CHF 49.47

-11.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 CHF 47.51

$55.5 CHF 44.02

7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 CHF 71.8

$87.6 CHF 69.5

3.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.81 CHF 33.19

Cinema Ticket

$23.10 CHF 18.34

$21.93 CHF 17.41

5.34%

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

$2,555 CHF 2,029

$2,909 CHF 2,310

-12.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.2K CHF 27.2K

$42.9K CHF 34.0K

-20.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 106

$136 CHF 108

-2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.4 CHF 68.6

$77.3 CHF 61.4

11.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$175 CHF 139

$132 CHF 104

33.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$234 CHF 186

$157 CHF 125

48.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CHF 1,672

$1,717 CHF 1,363

22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CHF 1,178

$1,470 CHF 1,167

0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,757 CHF 2,982

$2,869 CHF 2,277

30.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,891 CHF 2,295

$2,508 CHF 1,991

15.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.7K CHF 14.8K

$15.6K CHF 12.4K

20.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

$11.3K CHF 8,980

23.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,072 CHF 6,408

$6,538 CHF 5,191

23.46%

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 Kreuzlingen: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,106 in Basel and $1,717 in Kreuzlingen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 23% 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: $155 in Basel vs $144 in Kreuzlingen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $691 vs $549 per month, with Kreuzlingen cheaper across the board.

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 Kreuzlingen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kreuzlingen wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kreuzlingen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Basel pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,106 in Basel versus $1,717 in Kreuzlingen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,555 in Basel versus $2,909 in Kreuzlingen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Kreuzlingen 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 Kreuzlingen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,472 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kreuzlingen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Kreuzlingen 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 Kreuzlingen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.