Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Basel Cost of Living Comparison Between Thun and Basel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,573 in Thun versus $3,566 in Basel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,324 in Thun versus $5,581 in Basel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,074 in Thun versus $7,595 in Basel.

Monthly costs are close between Thun and Basel; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Thun 160% above, Basel 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.64 CHF 23.93

$29.61 CHF 23.91

0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 102

$128 CHF 103

-1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.30 CHF 13.17

$18.47 CHF 14.91

-11.75%

Cappuccino

$6.70 CHF 5.41

$6.76 CHF 5.46

-0.89%

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

$6.46 CHF 5.21

$6.33 CHF 5.11

2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 CHF 5.05

$6.15 CHF 4.97

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.23 CHF 7.46

$8.91 CHF 7.19

3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 CHF 6.70

$9.93 CHF 8.02

-16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.34 CHF 1.89

-0.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 CHF 2.43

$3.22 CHF 2.60

-6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.74

$3.36 CHF 2.71

1.19%

Eggs

$8.04 CHF 6.50

$8.03 CHF 6.48

0.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.49 CHF 20.58

$26.94 CHF 21.75

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.69 CHF 23.16

$27.83 CHF 22.47

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.66 CHF 32.02

$41.82 CHF 33.77

-5.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CHF 2.95

$3.60 CHF 2.91

1.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CHF 2.40

$3.12 CHF 2.52

-4.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 CHF 3.87

$4.84 CHF 3.91

-1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 CHF 1.26

$1.73 CHF 1.39

-9.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.68

$2.07 CHF 1.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.10

$1.63 CHF 1.32

-16.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.81 CHF 9.53

$11.39 CHF 9.20

3.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 CHF 10.14

$12.41 CHF 10.02

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.62 CHF 2.12

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CHF 2.36

$3.21 CHF 2.59

-9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.39 CHF 3.54

$4.60 CHF 3.72

-4.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CHF 83.7

$108 CHF 87.6

-4.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 CHF 6.49

$8.16 CHF 6.59

-1.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.60 CHF 3.72

$4.67 CHF 3.77

-1.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.6 CHF 69.9

$85.9 CHF 69.3

0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.93

$2.27 CHF 1.84

5.29%

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

$44.3K CHF 35.8K

$43.8K CHF 35.4K

1.13%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

1.99%

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

$306 CHF 247

$304 CHF 245

0.64%

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

$53.9 CHF 43.55

$54.2 CHF 43.75

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CHF 52.6

$64.7 CHF 52.2

0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 CHF 76.9

$83.3 CHF 67.3

14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.55 CHF 37.59

$58.5 CHF 47.24

-20.43%

Cinema Ticket

$23.69 CHF 19.13

$23.78 CHF 19.21

-0.38%

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

$3,089 CHF 2,494

$3,055 CHF 2,467

1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.7K

$32.6K CHF 26.3K

-2.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 123

$147 CHF 119

3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.9 CHF 67.0

$81.7 CHF 66.0

1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 134

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 163

$206 CHF 166

-1.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 CHF 1,466

$2,095 CHF 1,691

-13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 CHF 1,221

$1,529 CHF 1,235

-1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CHF 2,362

$3,547 CHF 2,864

-17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,016

$2,865 CHF 2,313

-12.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$18.2K CHF 14.7K

-10.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$14.8K CHF 12.0K

-14.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,082 CHF 4,911

$7,405 CHF 5,979

-17.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

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

Last update for Thun: August 30, 2026

Last update for Basel: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,816 in Thun and $2,095 in Basel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 22% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $126 in Thun vs $128 in Basel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $583 vs $598 per month, with Thun 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

Thun vs Basel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $1,816 in Thun versus $2,095 in Basel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,089 in Thun versus $3,055 in Basel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Basel – a meal for two runs $128 versus $126 in Thun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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 $3,566 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Basel hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Thun 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.

It comes down to priorities – Basel wins on affordability, Thun on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.