Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Biel Cost of Living Comparison Between Aarau and Biel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,954 per month in Aarau vs $3,096 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,759 per month in Aarau vs $4,763 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,564 per month in Aarau vs $6,429 in Biel, rent included.

Aarau is about 5% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Aarau and Biel sit above the global median – Aarau by 121%, Biel by 131%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.47 CHF 23.31

$24.71 CHF 19.54

19.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.8

$113 CHF 89.3

-3.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.80 CHF 14.87

$16.03 CHF 12.68

17.28%

Cappuccino

$6.43 CHF 5.09

$6.33 CHF 5.01

1.58%

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

$3.34 CHF 2.64

$5.32 CHF 4.21

-37.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CHF 3.96

$5.06 CHF 4.00

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 CHF 6.18

$7.79 CHF 6.16

0.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 CHF 6.02

$6.87 CHF 5.43

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.65

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-7.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.59

$3.72 CHF 2.94

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.00

$4.28 CHF 3.38

-40.89%

Eggs

$6.71 CHF 5.31

$7.51 CHF 5.94

-10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.39 CHF 23.24

$30.27 CHF 23.95

-2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.49 CHF 28.86

$35.98 CHF 28.46

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.90 CHF 35.51

$50.9 CHF 40.22

-11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 CHF 2.25

$3.28 CHF 2.59

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$2.31 CHF 1.83

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.26

$2.98 CHF 2.36

-4.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 CHF 4.47

$4.35 CHF 3.44

29.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-9.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.64

$2.39 CHF 1.89

-12.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.03

$2.67 CHF 2.11

-4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CHF 1.16

$0.89 CHF 0.70

65.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 CHF 8.34

$11.12 CHF 8.80

-5.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 CHF 8.65

$12.63 CHF 9.99

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$2.40 CHF 1.90

-2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$3.32 CHF 2.63

-32.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.43 CHF 3.50

$4.47 CHF 3.53

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 117

$109 CHF 86.3

35.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 CHF 6.97

$12.54 CHF 9.92

-29.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.44

$4.05 CHF 3.20

38.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.1 CHF 68.9

$82.4 CHF 65.2

5.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.74

$2.15 CHF 1.70

2.33%

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

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

$31.3K CHF 24.8K

30.00%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.8K

$28.5K CHF 22.5K

45.72%

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

$251 CHF 199

$244 CHF 193

2.90%

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

$42.76 CHF 33.82

$36.50 CHF 28.87

17.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CHF 46.00

$55.6 CHF 43.97

4.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 CHF 54.0

$114 CHF 90.3

-40.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.50 CHF 33.61

$73.2 CHF 57.9

-41.90%

Cinema Ticket

$23.58 CHF 18.65

$21.76 CHF 17.21

8.36%

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

$3,247 CHF 2,569

$2,865 CHF 2,266

13.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.5K

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

-41.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 CHF 72.7

$141 CHF 111

-34.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CHF 42.51

$45.49 CHF 35.98

18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 CHF 86.0

$131 CHF 104

-17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 137

$159 CHF 126

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 CHF 1,042

$1,298 CHF 1,027

1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 CHF 827

$1,126 CHF 890

-7.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 CHF 1,968

$2,273 CHF 1,798

9.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 CHF 1,697

$1,871 CHF 1,480

14.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K CHF 8,479

$9,986 CHF 7,899

7.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,930

$8,438 CHF 6,674

48.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,279 CHF 5,758

$7,974 CHF 6,307

-8.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

1.88

32.98%

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

Last update for Aarau: April 26, 2026

Last update for Biel: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,318 in Aarau versus $1,298 in Biel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Biel, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Aarau versus $113 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $640 vs $672 – making Aarau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Aarau vs Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biel costs about 5% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,431 per month in Aarau and $4,644 in Biel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aarau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,247 per month in Aarau and $2,865 in Biel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,954 in Aarau and $3,096 in Biel. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Aarau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aarau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.