Which place is cheaper, Bad Gastein or Basel?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Basel or Bad Gastein?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Basel or Bad Gastein, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Basel or Bad Gastein?
Basel
Basel is often overlooked as a tourist destination in Switzerland, but despite this, it does have a lot to offer visitors as well as a beautiful medieval historic center. Every year it also hosts a Carnival festival that is one of the most popular in Europe, competing with those in Venice and Rio de Janeiro in its popularity. There are also some excellent museums and great examples of regional architecture around town. Basel also serves as an excellent entry point to the Swiss Jura mountains and a jumping off point to visit more popular cities such as Zurich or Lucerne.
Bad Gastein
Located in the High Tauern Mountains south of Salzburg, Bad Gastein is a spa and ski town known for hotels and villas built into steep and forested slopes. While the town is most visited in the winter for skiing purposes, it is also a home base for many hiking opportunities throughout the summer.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Switzerland, The Best Bicycle Tours in Switzerland, The Best 2-Week Tours in Austria, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayBasel $236Bad Gastein $130
The average daily cost (per person) in Basel is $236, while the average daily cost in Bad Gastein is $130. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Basel and Bad Gastein in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personBasel $143Bad Gastein $66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomBasel $286Bad Gastein $132
Compare Hotels in Basel and Bad Gastein
Looking for a hotel in Basel or Bad Gastein? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Basel Hotel Prices and Bad Gastein Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Basel $45Bad Gastein $43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Basel
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Basel:
- Arrival Private Transfer: EuroAirport (BSL MLH EAP) to Basel in Luxury Van: $119
- Basel Airport Transfer: Basel to EuroAirport (BSL MLH EAP) in Business Car: $108
- Basel Airport Transfer: EuroAirport (BSL MLH EAP) to Basel in Luxury Car: $157
- Basel Airport Transfer: EuroAirport (BSL MLH EAP) to Basel in Luxury Van: $119
- ONE WAY: Basel Train Station (ZDH) to / from Basel transfer: $88
- Private Direct Transfer from Basel to Zurich: $205
- Private One-way Transfer From Basel to Zurich, English Speaking Driver: $186
- Private Transfer From Basel To Bern With a 2 Hour Stop in Olten: $224
- Private Transfer from Basel to Zurich with 3h Sightseeing Stops: $251
- Private Transfer: Basel Airport BSL to Zurich in Luxury Van: $261
- Private direct transfer from Basel to Lucerne with a local driver: $177
- Private transfer from Basel to Strasbourg with a local driver: $233
Is it cheaper to fly into Basel or Bad Gastein?
Prices for flights to both Bad Gastein and Basel change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayBasel $61Bad Gastein $37
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Basel $37Bad Gastein $23
Tours and Activities in Basel
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Basel are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Basel Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Tour: $5.35
- Basel's Portrait: Self-Guided Reading City Tour: $5.47
- Basel's Portrait Self Guided Audio City Tour: $5.60
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Hidden Treasures Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $8.99
- The Best of Basel’s Hidden Treasures: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $8.99
- Uncover Basel's Charms: In-App Audio Tour of Cultural Gems: $11
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- Basel's Portrait: Self-Guided Audio City Tour: $11
- Old Town Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $15
- Basel (Kleinbasel) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayBasel $33Bad Gastein $8.42
Sample the Local Flavors in Basel
Also in Basel, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Pub Crawl Meet People and Hidden Bars and Clubs: $33
- Pinot Noir & Pinot Wine Tour to Baden-Württemberg: $279
- Fantastic, full day, private wine tour to Alsace!: $285
- Half Day Private Cheese & Wine Tasting in Vineyard in Basel: $289
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Basel and Bad Gastein, we can see that Basel is more expensive. And not only is Bad Gastein much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bad Gastein would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bad Gastein and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Basel would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Basel than you might in Bad Gastein.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Basel Expensive? and Is Bad Gastein Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Basel or Bad Gastein?
Basel has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Bad Gastein. When comparing the sizes of Basel and Bad Gastein, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.