Basel vs Oslo
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Basel edges it, 67 to 65, winning 5 of the 9 factors. Basel is stronger on climate; Oslo on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Where they differ
- Climate. Basel leads on climate, 25 to 8, against Oslo. Comfortable months: 3 vs 1.
Where they are close. Within five points on internet, quality of life, cost of living, air quality, safety, getting there & around, healthcare, visa ease.
Pick Basel if you want
- faster internet (78.9 Mbps measured)
- a longer comfortable season (3 months against 1)
Pick Oslo if you want
- to spend about $331 less a month
Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 9 | 13 ✓ |
| Safety | 90 ✓ | 88 |
| Healthcare | 92 ✓ | 92 |
| Internet | 84 ✓ | 79 |
| Visa ease | 61 | 61 |
| Getting there & around | 55 | 56 ✓ |
| Climate | 25 ✓ | 8 |
| Air quality | 95 ✓ | 92 |
| Quality of life | 94 | 98 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | $3,831 | $3,500 ✓ |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $2,129 | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 0.5 ✓ | 0.7 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 85.2 ✓ | 84.5 |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 87 | 89 ✓ |
| Life expectancy | 83.8 yrs ✓ | 82.7 yrs |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 78.9 Mbps ✓ | 62.8 Mbps |
| Upload | 37.9 Mbps ✓ | 26.3 Mbps |
Visa
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | unlimited | unlimited |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 107 | 149 ✓ |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 5 ✓ | 4 |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 5 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Basel | Oslo |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 3 ✓ | 1 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 7.4 µg/m³ ✓ | 8.5 µg/m³ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Basel or Oslo?
- Oslo is cheaper: about $3,500 per month versus $3,831 for one person.
- Is Basel or Oslo safer?
- Basel scores higher on safety (90 vs 88), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Basel or Oslo?
- Basel: a measured median of 78.9 Mbps versus 62.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.11.3. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.