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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,090 per month in Biel vs $2,981 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,810 per month in Biel vs $4,813 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,531 per month in Biel vs $6,645 in Aarau, rent included.

Biel costs about 4% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Biel and Aarau sit above the global median – Biel by 130%, Aarau by 122%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.74 CHF 19.64

$29.41 CHF 23.35

-15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 CHF 88.4

$108 CHF 86.0

2.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.06 CHF 12.75

$18.77 CHF 14.90

-14.44%

Cappuccino

$6.13 CHF 4.87

$6.54 CHF 5.20

-6.27%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.18

$3.37 CHF 2.68

56.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CHF 4.03

$4.98 CHF 3.95

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 CHF 6.00

$7.83 CHF 6.21

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CHF 5.34

$7.41 CHF 5.88

-9.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$2.19 CHF 1.74

2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.04

$3.33 CHF 2.64

15.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.35

$2.41 CHF 1.92

74.69%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 5.89

$6.86 CHF 5.45

8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.45 CHF 24.17

$29.60 CHF 23.50

2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.97 CHF 28.56

$36.49 CHF 28.97

-1.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.6 CHF 40.95

$45.02 CHF 35.74

14.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.68

$2.85 CHF 2.26

18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$2.17 CHF 1.72

4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.38

$2.85 CHF 2.27

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$5.66 CHF 4.49

-27.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$2.33 CHF 1.85

6.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.96

$1.98 CHF 1.57

24.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CHF 2.14

$2.60 CHF 2.06

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 CHF 0.76

$1.50 CHF 1.19

-36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 CHF 8.64

$10.33 CHF 8.20

5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.93

$10.86 CHF 8.62

26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$2.24 CHF 1.78

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 CHF 2.61

$2.16 CHF 1.71

52.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.52 CHF 3.59

$4.23 CHF 3.36

6.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 87.3

$148 CHF 117

-25.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.26 CHF 9.73

$8.40 CHF 6.67

45.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.09 CHF 3.24

$5.55 CHF 4.40

-26.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 CHF 66.2

$85.8 CHF 68.1

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$2.11 CHF 1.68

5.69%

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

$30.3K CHF 24.0K

$40.3K CHF 32.0K

-24.85%

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

$28.3K CHF 22.5K

$42.3K CHF 33.5K

-32.93%

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

$251 CHF 200

$242 CHF 192

3.98%

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

$36.85 CHF 29.26

$42.53 CHF 33.76

-13.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 44.16

$58.4 CHF 46.33

-4.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 CHF 92.1

$67.5 CHF 53.6

71.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.3 CHF 58.2

$41.28 CHF 32.77

77.64%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 17.92

$23.20 CHF 18.42

-2.72%

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

$2,842 CHF 2,256

$3,187 CHF 2,530

-10.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.1K CHF 33.4K

$24.7K CHF 19.6K

70.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 112

$93.5 CHF 74.2

51.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.15 CHF 36.64

$53.1 CHF 42.18

-13.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 103

$111 CHF 88.5

16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 128

$170 CHF 135

-5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 CHF 1,018

$1,316 CHF 1,045

-2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 CHF 899

$1,037 CHF 823

9.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,805

$2,419 CHF 1,920

-6.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 CHF 1,483

$2,069 CHF 1,643

-9.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,844 CHF 7,815

$21.6K CHF 17.1K

-54.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,108 CHF 6,437

$17.1K CHF 13.6K

-52.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,948 CHF 6,310

$7,240 CHF 5,748

9.78%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Aarau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,282 in Biel versus $1,316 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 $111 in Biel versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $642 – 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 4% more than Aarau, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,635 per month in Biel and $4,471 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 35% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,842 per month in Biel and $3,187 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 $3,090 in Biel and $2,981 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.