Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Wil Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Wil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,544 in Basel versus $3,078 in Wil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,518 in Basel versus $4,648 in Wil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,492 in Basel versus $6,217 in Wil.

Living in Basel is roughly 15% more expensive than in Wil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 157% above, Wil 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.93 CHF 24.42

$29.98 CHF 24.47

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 102

$147 CHF 120

-14.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.69 CHF 15.25

$24.52 CHF 20.01

-23.78%

Cappuccino

$6.73 CHF 5.49

$6.10 CHF 4.98

10.33%

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

$6.33 CHF 5.17

$6.17 CHF 5.04

2.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CHF 4.78

$5.35 CHF 4.37

9.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.34 CHF 7.62

$9.24 CHF 7.54

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 CHF 8.22

$6.60 CHF 5.38

52.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.24 CHF 1.83

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 CHF 2.49

$4.11 CHF 3.35

-25.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CHF 2.71

$3.90 CHF 3.18

-14.87%

Eggs

$8.34 CHF 6.80

$8.10 CHF 6.61

2.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.21 CHF 21.39

$27.43 CHF 22.39

-4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.85 CHF 22.73

$29.55 CHF 24.11

-5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.56 CHF 34.73

$42.76 CHF 34.89

-0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 2.99

$3.80 CHF 3.10

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.96

$2.09 CHF 1.70

14.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.44

$2.49 CHF 2.03

20.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 CHF 3.94

$5.46 CHF 4.46

-11.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CHF 1.46

$2.06 CHF 1.68

-13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CHF 1.59

$2.15 CHF 1.75

-9.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$2.37 CHF 1.93

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CHF 1.36

$1.26 CHF 1.03

31.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 CHF 9.49

$10.91 CHF 8.90

6.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 CHF 9.99

$18.44 CHF 15.05

-33.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.21 CHF 1.80

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.59

$2.28 CHF 1.86

39.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 CHF 3.63

$3.93 CHF 3.20

12.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 CHF 88.3

$92.6 CHF 75.6

16.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.99 CHF 6.52

$6.73 CHF 5.49

18.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.75

$4.86 CHF 3.97

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 71.8

$78.9 CHF 64.4

11.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.87

$2.27 CHF 1.85

0.88%

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

$44.2K CHF 36.1K

$35.1K CHF 28.6K

26.14%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.3K

$40.8K CHF 33.3K

-2.81%

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

$299 CHF 244

$237 CHF 193

25.99%

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

$53.3 CHF 43.47

$38.59 CHF 31.50

38.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CHF 53.9

$54.3 CHF 44.33

21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 CHF 70.0

$84.2 CHF 68.7

1.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.0 CHF 48.17

Cinema Ticket

$23.81 CHF 19.44

$27.89 CHF 22.76

-14.63%

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

$3,026 CHF 2,470

$2,347 CHF 1,916

28.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 27.1K

$33.5K CHF 27.3K

-0.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 120

$150 CHF 123

-2.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.6 CHF 66.6

$68.7 CHF 56.0

18.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 CHF 134

$147 CHF 120

11.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 CHF 162

$275 CHF 225

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 CHF 1,747

$1,505 CHF 1,229

42.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CHF 1,247

$1,134 CHF 925

34.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,615 CHF 2,950

$2,139 CHF 1,746

68.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,890 CHF 2,358

$1,503 CHF 1,227

92.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.4K CHF 15.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,336 CHF 5,987

$4,454 CHF 3,635

64.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

1.9

27.89%

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

Last update for Basel: September 6, 2026

Last update for Wil: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,141 in Basel and $1,505 in Wil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 65% 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 $147 in Wil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $597 vs $626 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 Wil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wil wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Wil the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 65% 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 $1,505 in Wil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,026 in Basel versus $2,347 in Wil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Basel pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Wil 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 Wil delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,078 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Wil hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Wil 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 Wil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.