Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Olten and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,973 in Olten versus $3,606 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,526 in Olten versus $5,819 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,078 in Olten versus $8,033 in Basel.

Living in Olten costs roughly 18% less than in Basel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olten 123% above, Basel 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 25.31

$31.16 CHF 25.24

0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 CHF 83.2

$154 CHF 125

-33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.04 CHF 13.81

$19.41 CHF 15.72

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$5.51 CHF 4.46

$6.73 CHF 5.45

-18.13%

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

$5.20 CHF 4.21

$5.46 CHF 4.43

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 CHF 3.65

$5.21 CHF 4.22

-13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.27 CHF 5.89

$9.65 CHF 7.82

-24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.07

$7.31 CHF 5.92

-14.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-6.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 CHF 2.77

$3.87 CHF 3.14

-11.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.30

$5.19 CHF 4.20

-21.39%

Eggs

$7.52 CHF 6.09

$7.82 CHF 6.34

-3.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.94 CHF 17.77

$28.51 CHF 23.09

-23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.36 CHF 20.54

$36.76 CHF 29.78

-31.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.38 CHF 32.70

$44.22 CHF 35.82

-8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.42

$3.91 CHF 3.16

7.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.04

$2.74 CHF 2.22

-8.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 CHF 4.08

$6.99 CHF 5.66

-27.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.21

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.86

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-22.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.07

$2.52 CHF 2.04

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CHF 1.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$11.83 CHF 9.58

-6.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.29 CHF 10.76

$13.68 CHF 11.08

-2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CHF 1.67

$2.42 CHF 1.96

-14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.86 CHF 3.13

$4.76 CHF 3.86

-18.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 79.6

$105 CHF 85.1

-6.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 CHF 6.27

$7.92 CHF 6.42

-2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$4.36 CHF 3.53

-3.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 CHF 50.8

$87.4 CHF 70.8

-28.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.20 CHF 1.78

1.82%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.2K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

-2.62%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$45.1K CHF 36.6K

-11.44%

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

$254 CHF 206

$302 CHF 245

-15.84%

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

$33.62 CHF 27.24

$54.0 CHF 43.74

-37.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 47.04

$58.9 CHF 47.69

-1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CHF 50.5

$90.9 CHF 73.6

-31.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 CHF 15.21

$41.38 CHF 33.52

-54.64%

Cinema Ticket

$25.09 CHF 20.32

$23.17 CHF 18.77

8.29%

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

$3,456 CHF 2,799

$2,533 CHF 2,052

36.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

17.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$135 CHF 110

2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 CHF 49.15

$87.6 CHF 71.0

-30.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$180 CHF 146

-18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$230 CHF 186

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 CHF 1,017

$2,103 CHF 1,704

-40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 CHF 849

$1,511 CHF 1,224

-30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 CHF 1,585

$3,742 CHF 3,031

-47.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CHF 1,374

$2,829 CHF 2,292

-40.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

-22.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10.1K

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-14.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CHF 3,406

$7,175 CHF 5,812

-41.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

2.55

-18.04%

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

Last update for Olten: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Olten and $2,103 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 71% 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: $103 in Olten vs $154 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $571 vs $692 per month, with Olten 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

Olten vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olten wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Olten the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 71% 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: $1,256 in Olten versus $2,103 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,456 in Olten 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 21% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Olten 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 Olten delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,973 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Olten hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Olten 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 Olten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.