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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Aarau vs $3,095 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,743 per month in Aarau vs $4,727 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,494 per month in Aarau vs $6,358 in Biel, rent included.

Aarau is about 3% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aarau and Biel sit above the global median – Aarau by 125%, Biel by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.96 CHF 24.18

$24.66 CHF 19.90

21.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 87.9

$113 CHF 90.9

-3.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.11 CHF 15.42

$16.23 CHF 13.10

17.74%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.10

$6.19 CHF 4.99

2.10%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.77

$5.18 CHF 4.18

-33.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 CHF 3.87

$4.84 CHF 3.91

-1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 CHF 6.48

$7.53 CHF 6.07

6.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 CHF 6.07

$6.86 CHF 5.54

9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CHF 1.68

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CHF 2.69

$3.73 CHF 3.01

-10.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.05

$4.28 CHF 3.45

-40.65%

Eggs

$7.00 CHF 5.65

$7.30 CHF 5.89

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.56 CHF 23.86

$30.19 CHF 24.37

-2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.28 CHF 29.28

$35.60 CHF 28.73

1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.45 CHF 35.07

$51.2 CHF 41.34

-15.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.32

$3.37 CHF 2.72

-14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.74

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.30

$3.01 CHF 2.43

-5.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 CHF 4.58

$4.25 CHF 3.43

33.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.87

$2.41 CHF 1.95

-3.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.68

$2.51 CHF 2.03

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.08

$2.68 CHF 2.17

-3.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CHF 1.18

$0.89 CHF 0.72

64.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 CHF 8.28

$11.14 CHF 8.99

-7.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 CHF 8.27

$15.28 CHF 12.33

-32.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CHF 1.76

$3.34 CHF 2.69

-34.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 CHF 3.42

$4.34 CHF 3.51

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$146 CHF 118

$109 CHF 87.8

34.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 CHF 7.02

$12.20 CHF 9.84

-28.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.46 CHF 4.41

$4.10 CHF 3.31

33.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.1 CHF 71.1

$82.9 CHF 66.9

6.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.79

$2.24 CHF 1.80

-1.34%

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

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

$30.9K CHF 25.0K

28.88%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

$28.2K CHF 22.7K

49.47%

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

$248 CHF 200

$250 CHF 202

-1.00%

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

$42.84 CHF 34.57

$36.83 CHF 29.72

16.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CHF 47.16

$57.2 CHF 46.12

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 CHF 54.0

$117 CHF 94.1

-42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.17 CHF 33.23

$74.0 CHF 59.7

-44.37%

Cinema Ticket

$23.13 CHF 18.67

$22.35 CHF 18.04

3.49%

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

$3,170 CHF 2,558

$2,900 CHF 2,340

9.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CHF 20.4K

$42.9K CHF 34.6K

-41.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.2 CHF 74.4

$136 CHF 110

-32.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 CHF 44.06

$46.65 CHF 37.64

17.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 CHF 90.5

$132 CHF 106

-14.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 140

$158 CHF 128

9.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 CHF 1,033

$1,294 CHF 1,044

-1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 CHF 829

$1,162 CHF 938

-11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 CHF 1,961

$2,272 CHF 1,834

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 CHF 1,679

$1,827 CHF 1,474

13.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.3K CHF 8,315

$9,886 CHF 7,978

4.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,704

$7,956 CHF 6,420

51.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,998 CHF 5,647

$7,723 CHF 6,233

-9.39%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Biel: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,280 in Aarau versus $1,294 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 $109 in Aarau versus $113 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $635 vs $674 – 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 3% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,488 per month in Aarau and $4,643 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 34% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,170 per month in Aarau and $2,900 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 $2,992 in Aarau and $3,095 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.