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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,015 per month in Aarau vs $3,120 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,757 per month in Aarau vs $4,725 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,499 per month in Aarau vs $6,330 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 126%, Biel by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.94 CHF 23.75

$24.31 CHF 19.28

23.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 85.3

$109 CHF 86.6

-1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.24 CHF 15.26

$16.01 CHF 12.70

20.17%

Cappuccino

$6.29 CHF 4.99

$6.15 CHF 4.88

2.28%

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

$3.44 CHF 2.73

$5.31 CHF 4.21

-35.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.89

$4.87 CHF 3.87

0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 CHF 6.54

$7.65 CHF 6.06

7.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 CHF 5.95

$6.88 CHF 5.46

9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CHF 1.67

$2.18 CHF 1.73

-3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 CHF 2.60

$3.77 CHF 2.99

-13.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$4.26 CHF 3.38

-42.49%

Eggs

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$7.54 CHF 5.98

-8.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 22.87

$30.72 CHF 24.37

-6.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.31 CHF 28.80

$34.92 CHF 27.69

3.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.34 CHF 35.16

$51.7 CHF 41.01

-14.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 CHF 2.21

$3.36 CHF 2.66

-16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.66

$2.24 CHF 1.78

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.18

$3.01 CHF 2.38

-8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 CHF 4.66

$4.11 CHF 3.26

43.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$2.48 CHF 1.97

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.63

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-17.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CHF 2.08

$2.60 CHF 2.07

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CHF 1.20

$0.90 CHF 0.71

67.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$11.11 CHF 8.81

-4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 CHF 8.43

$13.56 CHF 10.76

-21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 CHF 1.84

$2.30 CHF 1.83

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 CHF 1.72

$3.33 CHF 2.64

-34.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.33

$4.42 CHF 3.50

-4.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 CHF 117

$110 CHF 87.3

33.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 CHF 7.01

$12.54 CHF 9.94

-29.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.61 CHF 4.45

$4.23 CHF 3.36

32.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.7 CHF 67.9

$84.5 CHF 67.0

1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$2.14 CHF 1.70

4.21%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.6K

$31.1K CHF 24.7K

32.26%

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

$41.8K CHF 33.2K

$28.6K CHF 22.6K

46.55%

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

$244 CHF 194

$245 CHF 194

-0.39%

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

$43.49 CHF 34.49

$35.79 CHF 28.38

21.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CHF 46.58

$56.0 CHF 44.44

4.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 CHF 52.3

$113 CHF 90.0

-41.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 CHF 33.09

$73.6 CHF 58.4

-43.29%

Cinema Ticket

$23.80 CHF 18.88

$22.57 CHF 17.90

5.45%

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

$3,257 CHF 2,583

$2,933 CHF 2,326

11.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

-42.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.3 CHF 73.2

$139 CHF 110

-33.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CHF 42.52

$46.95 CHF 37.24

14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 CHF 87.3

$132 CHF 105

-16.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 138

$160 CHF 127

9.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CHF 1,006

$1,289 CHF 1,022

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 CHF 817

$1,155 CHF 916

-10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,448 CHF 1,941

$2,303 CHF 1,826

6.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,111 CHF 1,674

$1,821 CHF 1,444

15.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K CHF 8,283

$10.2K CHF 8,071

2.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 9,976

$8,232 CHF 6,529

52.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,163 CHF 5,681

$7,807 CHF 6,191

-8.25%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Biel: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Aarau versus $1,289 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 9% 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 $109 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $636 vs $670 – 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 $4,522 per month in Aarau and $4,679 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 $3,257 per month in Aarau and $2,933 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 $3,015 in Aarau and $3,120 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.