Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Solothurn and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,830 in Solothurn versus $3,606 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,520 in Solothurn versus $5,819 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,211 in Solothurn versus $8,033 in Basel.

Living in Solothurn costs roughly 22% less than in Basel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Solothurn 112% above, Basel 170% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.23 CHF 25.30

$31.16 CHF 25.24

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 116

$154 CHF 125

-6.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.30 CHF 17.25

$19.41 CHF 15.72

9.74%

Cappuccino

$6.53 CHF 5.29

$6.73 CHF 5.45

-2.97%

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

$5.64 CHF 4.57

$5.46 CHF 4.43

3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 CHF 4.37

$5.21 CHF 4.22

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 CHF 5.57

$9.65 CHF 7.82

-28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CHF 5.14

$7.31 CHF 5.92

-13.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.21 CHF 1.79

0.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$3.87 CHF 3.14

-15.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$5.19 CHF 4.20

-37.19%

Eggs

$7.20 CHF 5.84

$7.82 CHF 6.34

-7.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.06 CHF 24.35

$28.51 CHF 23.09

5.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.44 CHF 25.47

$36.76 CHF 29.78

-14.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.12

$44.22 CHF 35.82

-10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CHF 3.37

$3.91 CHF 3.16

6.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.34

$2.74 CHF 2.22

5.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CHF 2.42

$4.18 CHF 3.38

-28.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.41

$6.99 CHF 5.66

-39.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CHF 1.56

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-40.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.63

$2.98 CHF 2.41

-32.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.52 CHF 2.04

0.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.86

$1.49 CHF 1.21

-28.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.92

$11.83 CHF 9.58

-6.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 CHF 7.88

$13.68 CHF 11.08

-28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$2.42 CHF 1.96

7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$3.04 CHF 2.46

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 CHF 2.97

$4.76 CHF 3.86

-23.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 CHF 78.6

$105 CHF 85.1

-7.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 CHF 6.15

$7.92 CHF 6.42

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.18 CHF 3.39

$4.36 CHF 3.53

-4.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$75.1 CHF 60.8

$87.4 CHF 70.8

-14.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.89

$2.20 CHF 1.78

5.91%

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

$37.2K CHF 30.2K

$40.8K CHF 33.0K

-8.73%

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

$38.8K CHF 31.5K

$45.1K CHF 36.6K

-13.92%

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

$96.9 CHF 78.5

$302 CHF 245

-67.95%

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

$30.30 CHF 24.54

$54.0 CHF 43.74

-43.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 CHF 47.86

$58.9 CHF 47.69

0.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 CHF 59.2

$90.9 CHF 73.6

-19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 CHF 20.06

$41.38 CHF 33.52

-40.14%

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.25

$23.17 CHF 18.77

7.90%

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

$3,422 CHF 2,772

$2,533 CHF 2,052

35.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K CHF 15.8K

$33.8K CHF 27.4K

-42.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$135 CHF 110

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 CHF 35.55

$87.6 CHF 71.0

-49.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 CHF 80.4

$180 CHF 146

-44.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 151

$230 CHF 186

-18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CHF 1,035

$2,103 CHF 1,704

-39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 CHF 877

$1,511 CHF 1,224

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CHF 1,506

$3,742 CHF 3,031

-50.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,753 CHF 1,420

$2,829 CHF 2,292

-38.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,830 CHF 7,962

$18.8K CHF 15.2K

-47.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,937 CHF 3,999

$14.6K CHF 11.8K

-66.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,802 CHF 5,510

$7,175 CHF 5,812

-5.20%

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 Solothurn: July 13, 2026

Last update for Basel: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,278 in Solothurn and $2,103 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 5% 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: $144 in Solothurn vs $154 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $604 vs $692 per month, with Solothurn 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

Solothurn vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Solothurn wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Solothurn the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $1,278 in Solothurn versus $2,103 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,422 in Solothurn 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 14% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Solothurn 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 Solothurn delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,830 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Solothurn hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Solothurn 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 Solothurn gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.