Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Olten Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Olten

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,606 in Basel versus $2,973 in Olten.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,819 in Basel versus $4,526 in Olten.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,033 in Basel versus $6,078 in Olten.

Living in Basel is roughly 21% more expensive than in Olten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 170% above, Olten 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.16 CHF 25.24

$31.25 CHF 25.31

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$154 CHF 125

$103 CHF 83.2

50.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.41 CHF 15.72

$17.04 CHF 13.81

13.91%

Cappuccino

$6.73 CHF 5.45

$5.51 CHF 4.46

22.14%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.43

$5.20 CHF 4.21

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CHF 4.22

$4.51 CHF 3.65

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 CHF 7.82

$7.27 CHF 5.89

32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 CHF 5.92

$6.26 CHF 5.07

16.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.07 CHF 1.67

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 CHF 3.14

$3.42 CHF 2.77

13.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 CHF 4.20

$4.08 CHF 3.30

27.21%

Eggs

$7.82 CHF 6.34

$7.52 CHF 6.09

3.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.51 CHF 23.09

$21.94 CHF 17.77

29.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.76 CHF 29.78

$25.36 CHF 20.54

44.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.22 CHF 35.82

$40.38 CHF 32.70

9.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$4.22 CHF 3.42

-7.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 CHF 2.22

$2.52 CHF 2.04

8.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 CHF 3.38

$3.04 CHF 2.46

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.99 CHF 5.66

$5.04 CHF 4.08

38.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$2.73 CHF 2.21

19.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$2.30 CHF 1.86

29.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.56 CHF 2.07

-1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 CHF 9.58

$11.01 CHF 8.92

7.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 CHF 11.08

$13.29 CHF 10.76

2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.96

$2.07 CHF 1.67

16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$2.43 CHF 1.97

25.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 CHF 3.86

$3.86 CHF 3.13

23.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CHF 85.1

$98.2 CHF 79.6

6.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.42

$7.74 CHF 6.27

2.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.36 CHF 3.53

$4.21 CHF 3.41

3.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.4 CHF 70.8

$62.7 CHF 50.8

39.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-1.79%

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

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

2.69%

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

$45.1K CHF 36.6K

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

12.91%

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

$302 CHF 245

$254 CHF 206

18.82%

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

$54.0 CHF 43.74

$33.62 CHF 27.24

60.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 CHF 47.69

$58.1 CHF 47.04

1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 CHF 73.6

$62.4 CHF 50.5

45.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 CHF 33.52

$18.77 CHF 15.21

120.46%

Cinema Ticket

$23.17 CHF 18.77

$25.09 CHF 20.32

-7.65%

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

$2,533 CHF 2,052

$3,456 CHF 2,799

-26.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

-14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 110

$139 CHF 113

-2.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$87.6 CHF 71.0

$60.7 CHF 49.15

44.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 CHF 146

$146 CHF 118

23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$230 CHF 186

$198 CHF 160

16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 CHF 1,704

$1,256 CHF 1,017

67.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 CHF 1,224

$1,048 CHF 849

44.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,742 CHF 3,031

$1,956 CHF 1,585

91.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,829 CHF 2,292

$1,697 CHF 1,374

66.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

28.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

17.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,175 CHF 5,812

$4,205 CHF 3,406

70.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.55

2.09

22.01%

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

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,103 in Basel and $1,256 in Olten. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 71% 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: $154 in Basel vs $103 in Olten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $692 vs $571 per month, with Olten 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 Olten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olten wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olten the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Basel, 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: $2,103 in Basel versus $1,256 in Olten. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,533 in Basel versus $3,456 in Olten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Olten 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 Olten delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,973 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Olten hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Olten 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 Olten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.