Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Mendrisio and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,925 in Mendrisio versus $3,606 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,848 in Mendrisio versus $5,819 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,771 in Mendrisio versus $8,033 in Basel.

Living in Mendrisio costs roughly 19% less than in Basel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mendrisio 119% above, Basel 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.74 CHF 24.85

$31.16 CHF 25.19

-1.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$186 CHF 151

$154 CHF 125

20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 15.20

$19.41 CHF 15.69

-3.14%

Cappuccino

$4.34 CHF 3.51

$6.73 CHF 5.44

-35.51%

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

$4.29 CHF 3.47

$5.46 CHF 4.42

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CHF 2.96

$5.21 CHF 4.21

-29.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 CHF 4.94

$9.65 CHF 7.80

-36.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CHF 4.89

$7.31 CHF 5.91

-17.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CHF 1.02

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-42.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 CHF 2.90

$3.87 CHF 3.13

-7.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 CHF 3.98

$5.19 CHF 4.19

-5.20%

Eggs

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$7.82 CHF 6.33

-53.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.96 CHF 21.80

$28.51 CHF 23.05

-5.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.25 CHF 12.33

$36.76 CHF 29.72

-58.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.08 CHF 38.07

$44.22 CHF 35.75

6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 CHF 2.56

$3.91 CHF 3.16

-19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.64

$2.74 CHF 2.21

-25.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 2.01

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-40.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 CHF 4.46

$6.99 CHF 5.65

-21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-32.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-21.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.09

$2.52 CHF 2.04

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.00

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-16.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.94

$11.83 CHF 9.56

-6.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CHF 10.22

$13.68 CHF 11.06

-7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.42 CHF 1.96

8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CHF 3.40

$3.04 CHF 2.46

38.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 CHF 2.63

$4.76 CHF 3.85

-31.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.4

$105 CHF 85.0

-7.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 CHF 5.40

$7.92 CHF 6.41

-15.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$4.36 CHF 3.52

-0.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 CHF 49.66

$87.4 CHF 70.7

-29.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.20 CHF 1.78

0.91%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

-0.49%

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

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

$45.1K CHF 36.5K

-18.05%

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

$203 CHF 164

$302 CHF 244

-32.74%

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

$29.66 CHF 23.98

$54.0 CHF 43.66

-45.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.56 CHF 40.07

$58.9 CHF 47.60

-15.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$90.9 CHF 73.5

-17.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 CHF 33.46

Cinema Ticket

$18.57 CHF 15.01

$23.17 CHF 18.73

-19.85%

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

$1,255 CHF 1,015

$2,533 CHF 2,048

-50.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

3.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 CHF 99.5

$135 CHF 110

-9.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.26 CHF 38.21

$87.6 CHF 70.9

-46.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 106

$180 CHF 145

-27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 CHF 123

$230 CHF 186

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 CHF 1,139

$2,103 CHF 1,701

-33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 CHF 998

$1,511 CHF 1,222

-18.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,856 CHF 2,309

$3,742 CHF 3,025

-23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,475 CHF 2,001

$2,829 CHF 2,288

-12.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,924 CHF 5,598

$7,175 CHF 5,801

-3.50%

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 Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,409 in Mendrisio and $2,103 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 4% 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: $186 in Mendrisio vs $154 in Basel. Groceries flip the comparison at $530 vs $692, with Mendrisio cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mendrisio vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendrisio wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mendrisio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $1,409 in Mendrisio versus $2,103 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,255 in Mendrisio 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 31% 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. Mendrisio 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 Mendrisio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,925 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mendrisio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mendrisio 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 Mendrisio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.