Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Solothurn Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Solothurn

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,544 in Basel versus $2,801 in Solothurn.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,518 in Basel versus $4,577 in Solothurn.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,492 in Basel versus $6,353 in Solothurn.

Living in Basel is roughly 27% more expensive than in Solothurn, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 157% above, Solothurn 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 CHF 24.42

$30.41 CHF 24.82

-1.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 102

$149 CHF 122

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.69 CHF 15.25

$18.46 CHF 15.06

1.25%

Cappuccino

$6.73 CHF 5.49

$6.68 CHF 5.45

0.75%

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

$6.33 CHF 5.17

$5.63 CHF 4.60

12.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CHF 4.78

$5.36 CHF 4.37

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 CHF 7.62

$6.92 CHF 5.65

34.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 CHF 8.22

$6.23 CHF 5.08

61.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.23 CHF 1.82

4.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 CHF 2.49

$3.82 CHF 3.12

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$3.53 CHF 2.88

-5.95%

Eggs

$8.34 CHF 6.80

$8.83 CHF 7.20

-5.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.21 CHF 21.39

$22.83 CHF 18.63

14.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.85 CHF 22.73

$26.51 CHF 21.64

5.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.56 CHF 34.73

$61.7 CHF 50.3

-31.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.99

$2.96 CHF 2.41

23.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.96

$1.45 CHF 1.18

65.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.44

$3.52 CHF 2.87

-15.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 CHF 3.94

$4.22 CHF 3.45

14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CHF 1.46

$1.67 CHF 1.36

7.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CHF 1.59

$1.78 CHF 1.45

9.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$1.63 CHF 1.33

42.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.36

$1.00 CHF 0.81

66.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 CHF 9.49

$11.32 CHF 9.24

2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 CHF 9.99

$13.32 CHF 10.87

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.89 CHF 2.36

-13.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.59

$3.27 CHF 2.67

-2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 CHF 3.63

$4.85 CHF 3.96

-8.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 88.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$8.46 CHF 6.91

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.75

$4.75 CHF 3.88

-3.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 71.8

$92.5 CHF 75.5

-4.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.87

$2.36 CHF 1.93

-2.97%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$31.4K CHF 25.6K

40.84%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.3K

$36.2K CHF 29.5K

9.60%

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

$299 CHF 244

$98.0 CHF 80.0

204.50%

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

$53.3 CHF 43.47

$30.80 CHF 25.13

72.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CHF 53.9

$58.5 CHF 47.73

12.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 CHF 70.0

$91.9 CHF 75.0

-6.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.0 CHF 48.17

$17.25 CHF 14.08

242.20%

Cinema Ticket

$23.81 CHF 19.44

$18.52 CHF 15.11

28.56%

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

$3,026 CHF 2,470

$3,692 CHF 3,013

-18.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$19.4K CHF 15.9K

71.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 120

$143 CHF 117

2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.6 CHF 66.6

$43.91 CHF 35.84

85.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 CHF 134

$171 CHF 139

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 162

$258 CHF 210

-22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 CHF 1,747

$1,201 CHF 980

78.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CHF 1,247

$1,072 CHF 875

42.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,615 CHF 2,950

$1,861 CHF 1,519

94.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,890 CHF 2,358

$1,815 CHF 1,482

59.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

$9,687 CHF 7,906

90.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

$5,010 CHF 4,089

189.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,336 CHF 5,987

$6,908 CHF 5,637

6.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

2.07

17.39%

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

Last update for Basel: September 6, 2026

Last update for Solothurn: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,141 in Basel and $1,201 in Solothurn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 6% 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: $125 in Basel vs $149 in Solothurn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $629 per month, with Basel 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 Solothurn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Solothurn wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Solothurn the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $2,141 in Basel versus $1,201 in Solothurn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,026 in Basel versus $3,692 in Solothurn. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Solothurn – a meal for two runs $149 versus $125 in Basel. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Solothurn 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 Solothurn delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,801 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Solothurn hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Solothurn 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 Solothurn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.