Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubendorf and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,866 in Dubendorf versus $3,606 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,884 in Dubendorf versus $5,819 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,901 in Dubendorf versus $8,033 in Basel.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 7% more expensive than in Basel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dubendorf 189% above, Basel 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.26 CHF 25.27

$31.16 CHF 25.19

0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$154 CHF 125

-5.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.61 CHF 15.04

$19.41 CHF 15.69

-4.12%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 4.99

$6.73 CHF 5.44

-8.32%

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

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$5.46 CHF 4.42

6.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CHF 4.19

$5.21 CHF 4.21

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$9.65 CHF 7.80

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.79

$7.31 CHF 5.91

-1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.21 CHF 1.79

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$3.87 CHF 3.13

-15.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$5.19 CHF 4.19

-20.62%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$7.82 CHF 6.33

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.48 CHF 23.84

$28.51 CHF 23.05

3.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.92 CHF 25.81

$36.76 CHF 29.72

-13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.73

$44.22 CHF 35.75

13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$3.91 CHF 3.16

-17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$2.74 CHF 2.21

2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$6.99 CHF 5.65

4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-21.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.06

$2.52 CHF 2.04

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.38

$1.49 CHF 1.21

14.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$11.83 CHF 9.56

-5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.72

$13.68 CHF 11.06

-3.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-1.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.76 CHF 6.27

$4.76 CHF 3.85

63.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 CHF 100

$105 CHF 85.0

18.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 CHF 5.32

$7.92 CHF 6.41

-16.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$4.36 CHF 3.52

-2.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.1

$87.4 CHF 70.7

-9.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$2.20 CHF 1.78

3.18%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

1.01%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$45.1K CHF 36.5K

-11.33%

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

$260 CHF 210

$302 CHF 244

-13.85%

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

$35.31 CHF 28.55

$54.0 CHF 43.66

-34.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 42.19

$58.9 CHF 47.60

-11.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 CHF 70.3

$90.9 CHF 73.5

-4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 CHF 45.04

$41.38 CHF 33.46

34.63%

Cinema Ticket

$24.42 CHF 19.74

$23.17 CHF 18.73

5.39%

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

$2,732 CHF 2,209

$2,533 CHF 2,048

7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

14.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$135 CHF 110

7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CHF 53.3

$87.6 CHF 70.9

-24.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$180 CHF 145

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$230 CHF 186

-13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 CHF 1,521

$2,103 CHF 1,701

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,479

$1,511 CHF 1,222

21.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 CHF 2,169

$3,742 CHF 3,025

-28.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,936 CHF 2,373

$2,829 CHF 2,288

3.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

-16.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-13.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,977 CHF 3,215

$7,175 CHF 5,801

-44.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.55

-1.96%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Dubendorf and $2,103 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $145 in Dubendorf vs $154 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $670 vs $692 per month, with Dubendorf 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

Dubendorf vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Basel. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,882 in Dubendorf versus $2,103 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,732 in Dubendorf versus $2,533 in Basel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Dubendorf pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 $3,606 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Basel hard to pass up.

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