Living in Basel: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In Basel, a one-bedroom home costs about CHF 1,250 (≈ €1,320) a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in London, you need about CHF 3,110 (≈ €3,280) net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Example: the same life, elsewhere
A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Basel, they would need about CHF 3,110 (≈ €3,280) net a month locally (−16%), i.e. 0.8 times the Basel-Stadt minimum wage.
For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about CHF 5,700 (≈ €6,010) net a month in Basel, i.e. 1.5 times the Basel-Stadt minimum wage.
Calculated on 3 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.
Rent in Basel
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas | Outside sought-after areas, in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | CHF 950 | €1,000 |
| 1 bedroom | CHF 1,250 | €1,320 |
| 2 bedrooms | CHF 1,510 | €1,590 |
| 3-bedroom house | CHF 1,980 | €2,080 |
Monthly rent in CHF, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². FSO, 2024 structural survey: average net monthly rent by number of rooms, by canton, updated with the rent index (August 2026).
A month’s budget in Basel, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in London, here is what each line would cost in Basel.
| Item | London | Basel | Basel (CHF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | £2,550 | £1,130 | CHF 1,250 |
| Housing tax | £50 | £30 | CHF 30 |
| Electricity, water, gas | £100 | £100 | CHF 110 |
| Groceries | £200 | £340 | CHF 370 |
| Restaurants and outings | £110 | £180 | CHF 200 |
| Transport | £100 | £80 | CHF 90 |
| Health | £40 | £640 | CHF 700 |
| Phone and internet | £50 | £80 | CHF 90 |
| Sport | £60 | £70 | CHF 80 |
| Clothes | £60 | £80 | CHF 90 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | £40 | £50 | CHF 60 |
| Trips back to London | £0 | £20 | CHF 20 |
| Total per month | £3,350 | £2,800 | CHF 3,110 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in Basel?
For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about CHF 3,110 (≈ €3,280) net a month, i.e. 0.8 times the Basel-Stadt minimum wage.
How much is rent in Basel?
About CHF 1,250 (≈ €1,320) a month for a one-bedroom home and CHF 1,510 for a two-bedroom home, according to FSO, 2024 structural survey.
Is it expensive to live in Basel?
In London, a single person spends about £3,350 a month; with the same life in Basel, it would be about £2,800 (−16%).