🇨🇭 Switzerland · 2026

Cost of Living in Basel

4.5% below the Switzerland average

Ranked #12 of 577 cities · More expensive than 97.9% of cities worldwide

-4.5%
Cost of Living
-15.9%
Rent
-3.0%
Groceries
+5.0%
Purchasing Power

Compared to Switzerland average · See Switzerland ranking →

Rent Prices in Basel

Apartment City Centre Outside Centre You Save
1-Bedroom CHF 1,654/mo ≈ $2,005 CHF 1,241/mo ≈ $1,504 25%
3-Bedroom CHF 2,975/mo ≈ $3,606 CHF 2,389/mo ≈ $2,896 20%
Numbeo · 2026-10-02

Prices of Goods & Services in Basel

Groceries

Apples (1kg)
CHF 3.35
Beer (0.5L, supermarket)
CHF 2.06
Bread (500g)
CHF 2.68
Local cheese (1kg)
CHF 20.63
Chicken (1kg)
CHF 26.63
Cigarettes (Marlboro)
CHF 8.59
Eggs (12)
CHF 6.59
Milk (1L)
CHF 1.78
Potatoes (1kg)
CHF 2.15
Tomatoes (1kg)
CHF 4.74
Water (1.5L)
CHF 1.16
Wine (mid-range)
CHF 12.48

Restaurants

Draft beer (0.5L)
CHF 7.00
Cappuccino
CHF 5.44
McMeal
CHF 15.50
Cheap meal
CHF 25.50
Mid-range dinner (2 people)
CHF 132.25

Clothing & Shoes

Business shoes (leather)
CHF 180.48
Jeans (Levi's 501)
CHF 107.86
Sport shoes (Nike)
CHF 132.58
Summer dress (Zara/H&M)
CHF 64.55

Leisure

Cinema ticket
CHF 18.00
Gym membership
CHF 85.81

Transportation

Gasoline (1L)
CHF 1.82
Taxi start
CHF 6.50
Monthly pass
CHF 85.00

Utilities

Basic utilities (85m²)
CHF 243.88

Prices in local currency, cross-referenced from multiple independent sources. October 2026.

Multi-Source Comparison

★★ Medium Confidence

Basel has a cost of living index of 78.4 (New York = 100, rent included), the average of 3 of 3 data sources.

78.4
Index
3
Sources
11.8
Gap between sources

Source Values (NYC = 100)

Numbeo
79.0
Expatistan
84.0
LivingCost
72.2
ShouldIMove price index
No data

ShouldIMove price index: our own basket of real item prices plus rent.

View all 577 cities | Data collected: Numbeo October 2026 · Expatistan March 2026 · LivingCost October 2026

Cost Indices

Cost of Living
-4.5% Average
Rent
-15.9% Affordable
Groceries
-3.0% Average
Restaurants
-3.7% Average
Purchasing Power
+5.0% Average

Living in Basel: What to Expect

Basel is very expensive by global standards (ranked #12 of 577 cities). It is 4.5% cheaper than the Switzerland average, based on 9 cities.

Groceries are average and dining out is average. The best value is rent and the priciest is groceries.

Local purchasing power is strong: residents can afford more goods and services than in most cities.

Workers in Switzerland earning CHF 46,376 gross take home CHF 3,286/month after tax (15% effective rate). See full Switzerland tax calculator →

How Does Basel Compare?

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