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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,810 per month in Aarau vs $2,838 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,602 per month in Aarau vs $4,540 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,394 per month in Aarau vs $6,243 in Biel, rent included.

Aarau is about 1% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aarau and Biel sit above the global median – Aarau by 105%, Biel by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.46 CHF 24.23

$30.12 CHF 24.78

-2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 87.7

$108 CHF 88.8

-1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 15.06

$18.09 CHF 14.88

1.16%

Cappuccino

$5.82 CHF 4.79

$6.26 CHF 5.15

-7.03%

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

$5.26 CHF 4.33

$5.21 CHF 4.29

0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 CHF 3.95

$4.12 CHF 3.39

16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CHF 4.92

$7.90 CHF 6.50

-24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 CHF 5.63

$4.76 CHF 3.91

43.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$2.11 CHF 1.74

-1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 CHF 3.07

$4.08 CHF 3.35

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 CHF 2.22

$3.40 CHF 2.79

-20.59%

Eggs

$7.50 CHF 6.17

$7.31 CHF 6.01

2.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.99 CHF 25.49

$22.90 CHF 18.84

35.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.82 CHF 24.53

$27.64 CHF 22.74

7.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.05 CHF 34.59

$40.13 CHF 33.01

4.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.42

$3.16 CHF 2.60

-6.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CHF 1.42

$2.13 CHF 1.75

-18.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 2.00

$2.59 CHF 2.13

-6.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 CHF 4.83

$3.15 CHF 2.59

86.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 CHF 1.43

$1.45 CHF 1.20

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.68

$1.86 CHF 1.53

10.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$2.00 CHF 1.64

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CHF 0.98

$1.08 CHF 0.89

10.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 CHF 9.08

$10.97 CHF 9.02

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 CHF 8.63

$15.20 CHF 12.50

-30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.14

$0.93 CHF 0.77

179.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 CHF 2.43

$1.87 CHF 1.54

58.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.22 CHF 4.29

$4.87 CHF 4.00

7.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$148 CHF 122

$94.4 CHF 77.7

56.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 CHF 5.90

$7.84 CHF 6.45

-8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 CHF 2.84

$4.71 CHF 3.87

-26.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 CHF 51.3

$85.1 CHF 70.0

-26.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.85

$2.23 CHF 1.83

0.90%

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

$42.6K CHF 35.0K

$43.6K CHF 35.9K

-2.38%

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

$39.2K CHF 32.2K

$34.8K CHF 28.6K

12.79%

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

$124 CHF 102

$138 CHF 113

-9.98%

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

$32.04 CHF 26.36

$35.83 CHF 29.48

-10.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 47.42

$49.71 CHF 40.89

15.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.4 CHF 81.7

$78.5 CHF 64.6

26.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.3 CHF 50.5

Cinema Ticket

$21.82 CHF 17.95

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

$3,184 CHF 2,619

$2,717 CHF 2,235

17.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CHF 20.8K

$37.5K CHF 30.8K

-32.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 CHF 74.5

$110 CHF 90.2

-17.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.8 CHF 61.5

$48.01 CHF 39.49

55.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 CHF 89.0

$142 CHF 117

-24.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 144

$216 CHF 178

-19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CHF 1,067

$1,281 CHF 1,054

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CHF 872

$1,120 CHF 921

-5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,331 CHF 1,918

$2,267 CHF 1,865

2.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,114 CHF 1,739

$2,019 CHF 1,661

4.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.1K CHF 8,328

$9,859 CHF 8,110

2.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$8,094 CHF 6,658

51.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,890 CHF 5,667

$5,781 CHF 4,756

19.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

1.68

37.50%

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

Last update for Aarau: September 12, 2026

Last update for Biel: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in Aarau versus $1,281 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 19% higher in Aarau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $107 in Aarau versus $108 in Biel. Groceries tell a different story – $604 in Aarau vs $555 in Biel – so Biel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 1% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,215 per month in Aarau and $4,256 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 57% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,184 per month in Aarau and $2,717 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 $2,810 in Aarau and $2,838 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.