Cost of Living Comparison Between Interlaken and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Interlaken and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,538 in Interlaken versus $3,606 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,361 in Interlaken versus $5,819 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,183 in Interlaken versus $8,033 in Basel.

Living in Interlaken costs roughly 2% less than in Basel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Interlaken 165% above, Basel 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.95 CHF 25.02

$31.16 CHF 25.19

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 113

$154 CHF 125

-9.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.83 CHF 15.23

$19.41 CHF 15.69

-2.99%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$6.73 CHF 5.44

-8.47%

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

$5.44 CHF 4.40

$5.46 CHF 4.42

-0.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 CHF 3.97

$5.21 CHF 4.21

-5.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 CHF 6.54

$9.65 CHF 7.80

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$7.31 CHF 5.91

-0.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.21 CHF 1.79

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 CHF 2.88

$3.87 CHF 3.13

-7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.19 CHF 3.38

$5.19 CHF 4.19

-19.27%

Eggs

$7.33 CHF 5.93

$7.82 CHF 6.33

-6.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.90 CHF 23.37

$28.51 CHF 23.05

1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.71 CHF 27.26

$36.76 CHF 29.72

-8.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.39 CHF 38.31

$44.22 CHF 35.75

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CHF 2.99

$3.91 CHF 3.16

-5.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.74 CHF 2.21

-17.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.30

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-31.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 CHF 5.22

$6.99 CHF 5.65

-7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-18.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.13

$2.52 CHF 2.04

4.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.10

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-8.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$11.83 CHF 9.56

-5.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.02 CHF 10.53

$13.68 CHF 11.06

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 CHF 2.72

$3.04 CHF 2.46

10.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$4.76 CHF 3.85

-19.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.4 CHF 78.8

$105 CHF 85.0

-7.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$7.92 CHF 6.41

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.11 CHF 3.33

$4.36 CHF 3.52

-5.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.9 CHF 63.8

$87.4 CHF 70.7

-9.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.20 CHF 1.78

0.45%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.0K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

-2.88%

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

$42.0K CHF 34.0K

$45.1K CHF 36.5K

-6.93%

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

$261 CHF 211

$302 CHF 244

-13.78%

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

$49.01 CHF 39.63

$54.0 CHF 43.66

-9.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 47.02

$58.9 CHF 47.60

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 CHF 72.3

$90.9 CHF 73.5

-1.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 CHF 33.46

Cinema Ticket

$22.38 CHF 18.09

$23.17 CHF 18.73

-3.41%

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

$2,952 CHF 2,387

$2,533 CHF 2,048

16.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.1K CHF 28.4K

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

3.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 CHF 109

$135 CHF 110

-0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.9 CHF 54.1

$87.6 CHF 70.9

-23.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 122

$180 CHF 145

-16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 153

$230 CHF 186

-17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CHF 1,356

$2,103 CHF 1,701

-20.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,193

$1,511 CHF 1,222

-2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,854 CHF 2,308

$3,742 CHF 3,025

-23.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 CHF 1,992

$2,829 CHF 2,288

-12.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,732

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

-35.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,605 CHF 6,957

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-40.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,418 CHF 5,997

$7,175 CHF 5,801

3.38%

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 Interlaken: July 11, 2026

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Interlaken and $2,103 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Interlaken pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $140 in Interlaken vs $154 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $661 vs $692 per month, with Interlaken 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

Interlaken vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Interlaken wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Interlaken the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Interlaken, 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: $1,677 in Interlaken versus $2,103 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,952 in Interlaken versus $2,533 in Basel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Interlaken 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 Interlaken delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,538 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Interlaken hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Interlaken 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 Interlaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.