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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Biel costs about 5% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 CHF 19.52

$29.47 CHF 23.28

-16.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 89.2

$108 CHF 85.6

4.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 12.67

$18.80 CHF 14.86

-14.73%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.00

$6.43 CHF 5.08

-1.56%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.20

$3.34 CHF 2.64

59.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CHF 4.00

$5.00 CHF 3.95

1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 CHF 6.15

$7.82 CHF 6.18

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$7.61 CHF 6.01

-9.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$2.09 CHF 1.65

7.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 CHF 2.94

$3.27 CHF 2.59

13.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$2.53 CHF 2.00

69.17%

Eggs

$7.51 CHF 5.94

$6.71 CHF 5.30

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.27 CHF 23.92

$29.39 CHF 23.21

2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.98 CHF 28.43

$36.49 CHF 28.83

-1.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.17

$44.90 CHF 35.47

13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.59

$2.84 CHF 2.24

15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$2.17 CHF 1.72

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.36

$2.86 CHF 2.26

4.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CHF 3.44

$5.65 CHF 4.46

-23.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.26 CHF 1.78

10.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.08 CHF 1.64

14.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.11

$2.56 CHF 2.03

4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.70

$1.47 CHF 1.16

-39.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.79

$10.54 CHF 8.33

5.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CHF 9.98

$10.93 CHF 8.64

15.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$2.33 CHF 1.84

3.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CHF 2.63

$2.25 CHF 1.78

47.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 CHF 3.53

$4.43 CHF 3.50

0.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.2

$148 CHF 117

-26.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.90

$8.81 CHF 6.96

42.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.05 CHF 3.20

$5.61 CHF 4.43

-27.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.4 CHF 65.1

$87.1 CHF 68.8

-5.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-2.27%

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

$31.3K CHF 24.8K

$40.7K CHF 32.2K

-23.07%

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

$28.5K CHF 22.5K

$41.5K CHF 32.8K

-31.37%

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

$244 CHF 193

$251 CHF 198

-2.82%

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

$36.50 CHF 28.83

$42.76 CHF 33.78

-14.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 43.92

$58.2 CHF 45.94

-4.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CHF 90.2

$68.3 CHF 54.0

67.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.2 CHF 57.8

$42.50 CHF 33.57

72.12%

Cinema Ticket

$21.76 CHF 17.19

$23.58 CHF 18.63

-7.72%

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

$2,865 CHF 2,263

$3,247 CHF 2,565

-11.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$24.7K CHF 19.5K

70.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$91.8 CHF 72.6

53.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CHF 35.94

$53.7 CHF 42.45

-15.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 104

$109 CHF 85.9

20.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 126

$174 CHF 137

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CHF 1,025

$1,318 CHF 1,041

-1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 889

$1,045 CHF 826

7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,795

$2,487 CHF 1,965

-8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,478

$2,146 CHF 1,695

-12.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,986 CHF 7,889

$10.7K CHF 8,469

-6.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,666

$12.6K CHF 9,918

-32.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,974 CHF 6,299

$7,279 CHF 5,750

9.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

2.5

-24.80%

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

Last update for Biel: April 25, 2026

Last update for Aarau: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Biel versus $1,318 in Aarau. 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 $113 in Biel versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 vs $640 – 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

Biel vs Aarau: 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 $4,644 per month in Biel and $4,431 in Aarau. 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 $2,865 per month in Biel and $3,247 in Aarau. 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 $3,096 in Biel and $2,954 in Aarau. 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.