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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,095 per month in Biel vs $2,992 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,727 per month in Biel vs $4,743 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,358 per month in Biel vs $6,494 in Aarau, rent included.

Biel costs about 3% more than Aarau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biel and Aarau sit above the global median – Biel by 133%, Aarau by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.66 CHF 20.06

$29.96 CHF 24.37

-17.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 91.6

$109 CHF 88.6

3.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.23 CHF 13.20

$19.11 CHF 15.54

-15.07%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 5.03

$6.32 CHF 5.14

-2.06%

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

$5.18 CHF 4.21

$3.44 CHF 2.80

50.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 CHF 3.94

$4.79 CHF 3.90

1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 CHF 6.12

$8.03 CHF 6.53

-6.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 CHF 5.58

$7.53 CHF 6.12

-8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.09 CHF 1.70

4.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 CHF 3.03

$3.34 CHF 2.72

11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.48

$2.54 CHF 2.06

68.50%

Eggs

$7.30 CHF 5.93

$7.00 CHF 5.70

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.19 CHF 24.56

$29.56 CHF 24.05

2.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.60 CHF 28.95

$36.28 CHF 29.51

-1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.2 CHF 41.66

$43.45 CHF 35.35

17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.74

$2.87 CHF 2.34

17.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.16 CHF 1.75

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.45

$2.85 CHF 2.32

5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.46

$5.67 CHF 4.61

-25.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.96

$2.32 CHF 1.89

3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.04

$2.08 CHF 1.70

20.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CHF 2.18

$2.58 CHF 2.10

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.73

$1.46 CHF 1.18

-39.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 CHF 9.06

$10.26 CHF 8.35

8.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 CHF 12.43

$10.25 CHF 8.34

49.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$2.24 CHF 1.82

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.71

$2.19 CHF 1.78

52.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 CHF 3.53

$4.24 CHF 3.45

2.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 88.5

$146 CHF 119

-25.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.20 CHF 9.92

$8.69 CHF 7.07

40.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 CHF 3.34

$5.46 CHF 4.44

-24.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.9 CHF 67.4

$88.1 CHF 71.6

-5.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$2.21 CHF 1.80

1.36%

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

$30.9K CHF 25.2K

$39.9K CHF 32.4K

-22.41%

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

$28.2K CHF 22.9K

$42.1K CHF 34.2K

-33.10%

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

$250 CHF 203

$248 CHF 201

1.01%

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

$36.83 CHF 29.95

$42.84 CHF 34.85

-14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 CHF 46.49

$58.4 CHF 47.53

-2.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 CHF 94.9

$66.9 CHF 54.4

74.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.0 CHF 60.2

$41.17 CHF 33.49

79.77%

Cinema Ticket

$22.35 CHF 18.18

$23.13 CHF 18.82

-3.37%

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

$2,900 CHF 2,359

$3,170 CHF 2,579

-8.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.9K CHF 34.9K

$25.3K CHF 20.5K

69.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$92.2 CHF 75.0

47.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 CHF 37.94

$54.6 CHF 44.41

-14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 107

$112 CHF 91.2

17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CHF 129

$173 CHF 141

-8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CHF 1,052

$1,280 CHF 1,041

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 CHF 945

$1,027 CHF 835

13.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 CHF 1,848

$2,430 CHF 1,977

-6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,486

$2,081 CHF 1,692

-12.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,886 CHF 8,041

$10.3K CHF 8,381

-4.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,956 CHF 6,471

$12.0K CHF 9,781

-33.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,723 CHF 6,282

$6,998 CHF 5,692

10.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Aarau: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Biel versus $1,280 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 $109 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $674 vs $635 – 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 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 $4,643 per month in Biel and $4,488 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 34% less in Aarau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,900 per month in Biel and $3,170 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 $3,095 in Biel and $2,992 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.