Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Biel Cost of Living Comparison Between Basel and Biel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,566 in Basel versus $2,916 in Biel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,600 in Basel versus $4,536 in Biel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,634 in Basel versus $6,157 in Biel.

Living in Basel is roughly 22% more expensive than in Biel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Basel 160% above, Biel 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.08 CHF 23.25

$31.25 CHF 24.99

-6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 CHF 102

$110 CHF 88.2

15.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.43 CHF 14.73

$17.96 CHF 14.36

2.62%

Cappuccino

$6.42 CHF 5.14

$6.28 CHF 5.02

2.23%

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

$6.57 CHF 5.26

$5.10 CHF 4.08

28.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CHF 4.79

$4.28 CHF 3.43

39.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.03 CHF 7.22

$7.81 CHF 6.24

15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 CHF 8.02

$4.92 CHF 3.93

104.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CHF 1.91

$2.22 CHF 1.78

7.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 CHF 2.73

$4.06 CHF 3.25

-16.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$3.43 CHF 2.74

-4.08%

Eggs

$7.97 CHF 6.37

$7.24 CHF 5.79

10.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.60 CHF 21.27

$23.22 CHF 18.56

14.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.57 CHF 22.05

$26.97 CHF 21.56

2.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.77 CHF 34.20

$44.39 CHF 35.49

-3.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.87

$3.22 CHF 2.58

11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.93

$2.20 CHF 1.76

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.40

$2.47 CHF 1.97

21.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CHF 3.81

$3.29 CHF 2.63

44.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 CHF 1.32

$1.50 CHF 1.20

10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.63

$1.90 CHF 1.52

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.79

$2.21 CHF 1.77

1.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CHF 1.27

$1.14 CHF 0.91

39.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 CHF 9.32

$11.05 CHF 8.83

5.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 CHF 10.87

$15.93 CHF 12.74

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CHF 2.08

$0.91 CHF 0.73

185.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CHF 2.44

$1.84 CHF 1.47

66.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.48 CHF 3.58

$4.90 CHF 3.92

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 84.8

$95.0 CHF 76.0

11.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.37

$8.00 CHF 6.40

-0.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.81 CHF 3.84

$4.59 CHF 3.67

4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.9 CHF 70.3

$85.1 CHF 68.1

3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.79

$2.22 CHF 1.78

0.90%

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

$44.4K CHF 35.5K

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

2.94%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

$35.0K CHF 28.0K

16.55%

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

$303 CHF 242

$141 CHF 113

114.33%

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

$53.4 CHF 42.67

$36.50 CHF 29.18

46.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 CHF 52.1

$51.7 CHF 41.33

26.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.6 CHF 66.8

$76.9 CHF 61.5

8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.1 CHF 48.08

Cinema Ticket

$23.49 CHF 18.78

$22.20 CHF 17.75

5.81%

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

$3,058 CHF 2,446

$2,665 CHF 2,131

14.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.6K CHF 26.8K

$37.5K CHF 30.0K

-10.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$150 CHF 120

$110 CHF 87.6

36.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.4 CHF 65.1

$49.60 CHF 39.66

64.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 134

$143 CHF 114

16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 160

$222 CHF 177

-9.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 CHF 1,753

$1,293 CHF 1,034

69.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 CHF 1,235

$1,143 CHF 914

35.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,545 CHF 2,835

$2,278 CHF 1,822

55.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,894 CHF 2,314

$2,045 CHF 1,635

41.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 14.9K

$9,821 CHF 7,853

89.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.6K

$7,971 CHF 6,373

81.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,316 CHF 5,850

$5,625 CHF 4,498

30.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

1.68

44.64%

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

Last update for Basel: August 17, 2026

Last update for Biel: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,192 in Basel and $1,293 in Biel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basel pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $128 in Basel vs $110 in Biel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $601 vs $570 per month, with Biel cheaper across the board.

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

Basel vs Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biel wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Basel. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Biel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Basel, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,192 in Basel versus $1,293 in Biel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,058 in Basel versus $2,665 in Biel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Basel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Biel is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Biel delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,916 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Biel hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Basel and Biel are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Biel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Basel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.