Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Thun Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Thun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,566 in Basel versus $3,573 in Thun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,581 in Basel versus $5,324 in Thun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,595 in Basel versus $7,074 in Thun.

Monthly costs are close between Basel and Thun; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.61 CHF 23.91

$29.64 CHF 23.93

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 CHF 103

$126 CHF 102

1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.47 CHF 14.91

$16.30 CHF 13.17

13.31%

Cappuccino

$6.76 CHF 5.46

$6.70 CHF 5.41

0.90%

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

$6.33 CHF 5.11

$6.46 CHF 5.21

-2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 CHF 4.97

$6.26 CHF 5.05

-1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 CHF 7.19

$9.23 CHF 7.46

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.02

$8.29 CHF 6.70

19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.33 CHF 1.88

0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$3.01 CHF 2.43

6.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.71

$3.40 CHF 2.74

-1.18%

Eggs

$8.03 CHF 6.48

$8.04 CHF 6.50

-0.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.94 CHF 21.75

$25.49 CHF 20.58

5.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.83 CHF 22.47

$28.69 CHF 23.16

-3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.82 CHF 33.77

$39.66 CHF 32.02

5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 CHF 2.91

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 CHF 2.52

$2.97 CHF 2.40

5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 CHF 3.91

$4.79 CHF 3.87

1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.39

$1.56 CHF 1.26

10.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$2.07 CHF 1.68

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.32

$1.36 CHF 1.10

19.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 9.20

$11.81 CHF 9.53

-3.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.41 CHF 10.02

$12.56 CHF 10.14

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.12

$2.24 CHF 1.81

16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CHF 2.59

$2.92 CHF 2.36

9.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 CHF 3.72

$4.39 CHF 3.54

4.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 87.6

$104 CHF 83.7

4.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 CHF 6.59

$8.04 CHF 6.49

1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.67 CHF 3.77

$4.60 CHF 3.72

1.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.9 CHF 69.3

$86.6 CHF 69.9

-0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.84

$2.39 CHF 1.93

-5.02%

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

$43.8K CHF 35.4K

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

-1.12%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-1.95%

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

$304 CHF 245

$306 CHF 247

-0.63%

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

$54.2 CHF 43.75

$53.9 CHF 43.55

0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 CHF 52.2

$65.1 CHF 52.6

-0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.3 CHF 67.3

$95.3 CHF 76.9

-12.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.5 CHF 47.24

$46.55 CHF 37.59

25.67%

Cinema Ticket

$23.78 CHF 19.21

$23.69 CHF 19.13

0.38%

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

$3,055 CHF 2,467

$3,089 CHF 2,494

-1.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K CHF 26.3K

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 119

$153 CHF 123

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 66.0

$82.9 CHF 67.0

-1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 134

0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 CHF 166

$202 CHF 163

2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 CHF 1,691

$1,816 CHF 1,466

15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 CHF 1,235

$1,512 CHF 1,221

1.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,547 CHF 2,864

$2,925 CHF 2,362

21.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 CHF 2,313

$2,496 CHF 2,016

14.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K CHF 14.7K

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

11.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

17.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,405 CHF 5,979

$6,082 CHF 4,911

21.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

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

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,095 in Basel and $1,816 in Thun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $128 in Basel vs $126 in Thun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $598 vs $583 per month, with Thun 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 Thun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 22% 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: $2,095 in Basel versus $1,816 in Thun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,055 in Basel versus $3,089 in Thun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Basel – a meal for two runs $128 versus $126 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

It comes down to priorities – Basel wins on affordability, Thun on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.