For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $2,826 in Biel, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Biel and in Cairo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,826 per month in Biel vs $647 in Cairo, rent included.
Biel $2,826
Cairo $647
A couple spends around $4,452 per month in Biel vs $1,035 in Cairo, rent included.
Biel $4,452
Cairo $1,035
A family of three spends $6,078 per month in Biel vs $1,423 in Cairo, rent included.
Biel $6,078
Cairo $1,423
😐
Biel costs about 337% more than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Biel sits 109% above the global median, while Cairo is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.08CHF 24.77
$4.64E£248
548.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$108CHF 88.9
$28.12E£1,501
284.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$18.28CHF 15.06
$6.03E£322
203.15%
Cappuccino
$6.07CHF 5.00
$1.72E£92.1
252.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17CHF 4.26
$0.36E£19.38
1336.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13CHF 3.40
$0.12E£6.41
3341.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.77CHF 6.40
$1.51E£80.4
414.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91CHF 4.04
$2.32E£124
111.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.09CHF 1.72
$0.92E£48.92
127.17%
White Bread(500g)
$3.78CHF 3.11
$0.73E£38.92
417.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.30CHF 2.72
$0.74E£39.64
345.95%
Eggs
$7.19CHF 5.92
$1.19E£63.7
504.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.93CHF 18.06
$4.33E£231
406.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$27.12CHF 22.34
$5.03E£269
439.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$38.83CHF 31.98
$9.28E£496
318.43%
Apples(1kg)
$3.06CHF 2.52
$1.77E£94.4
72.88%
Banana(1kg)
$2.04CHF 1.68
$0.73E£39.03
179.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.46CHF 2.02
$0.55E£29.51
347.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.10CHF 2.55
$0.50E£26.91
520.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47CHF 1.21
$0.42E£22.42
250.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.81CHF 1.49
$0.41E£21.81
341.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.04CHF 1.68
$0.33E£17.51
518.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05CHF 0.87
$0.21E£11.20
400.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.99CHF 9.05
$1.98E£106
455.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.90CHF 12.28
$7.81E£417
90.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.92CHF 0.76
$1.59E£84.7
-42.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77CHF 1.46
$2.09E£112
-15.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Biel
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.91CHF 4.04
$0.35E£18.83
1302.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$93.3CHF 76.9
$8.69E£464
973.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$7.84CHF 6.46
$0.39E£21.02
1910.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$4.53CHF 3.73
$0.22E£11.57
1959.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$83.0CHF 68.4
$1.51E£80.5
5399.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.22CHF 1.83
$0.43E£22.88
416.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7KCHF 34.4K
$32.7KE£1.7M
27.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8KCHF 28.7K
$27.2KE£1.5M
27.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$137CHF 113
$27.27E£1,456
403.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.74CHF 29.43
$8.58E£458
316.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.2CHF 41.30
$13.99E£747
258.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$77.2CHF 63.6
$29.69E£1,585
159.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$7.25E£387
-
Cinema Ticket
$21.92CHF 18.05
$4.86E£260
351.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,620CHF 2,158
$121E£6,438
2073.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$37.2KCHF 30.6K
$3,560E£190.1K
944.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108CHF 89.2
$40.28E£2,151
169.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.74CHF 33.56
$49.53E£2,645
-17.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136CHF 112
$115E£6,137
18.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$219CHF 180
$60.0E£3,206
264.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Biel
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,240CHF 1,022
$222E£11.9K
458.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,120CHF 922
$195E£10.4K
474.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,275CHF 1,874
$550E£29.3K
313.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,035CHF 1,676
$346E£18.5K
487.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,683CHF 7,975
$800E£42.7K
1110.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,818CHF 6,439
$525E£28.0K
1389.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Biel
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,516CHF 4,543
$200E£10.7K
2661.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
1.68
16.21
-89.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Biel: October 12, 2026
Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Biel
$1.1K 39.6%
Cairo
$195 30.2% ↓ 82.6%$925
🛒Groceries & Markets
Biel
$538 19%
Cairo
$142 21.9% ↓ 73.7%$396
🍽Eating Out
Biel
$454 16.1%
Cairo
$90 13.9% ↓ 80.2%$364
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Biel
$227 8%
Cairo
$119 18.4% ↓ 47.4%$108
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biel
$223 7.9%
Cairo
$50 7.7% ↓ 77.7%$173
🚌Getting Around
Biel
$143 5.1%
Cairo
$12 1.8% ↓ 91.9%$132
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Biel
$121 4.3%
Cairo
$39 6.1% ↓ 67.4%$82
🏠Accommodation & Living
Biel
$2K 33.5%
Cairo
$346 24.3% ↓ 83%$1.7K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Biel
$1.3K 21.2%
Cairo
$324 22.8% ↓ 74.8%$963
🍽Eating Out
Biel
$1.5K 24%
Cairo
$320 22.5% ↓ 78%$1.1K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Biel
$504 8.3%
Cairo
$265 18.6% ↓ 47.5%$239
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biel
$259 4.3%
Cairo
$58 4.1% ↓ 77.4%$201
🚌Getting Around
Biel
$297 4.9%
Cairo
$24 1.7% ↓ 92%$273
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Biel
$242 * 4%
Cairo
$86 6.1% ↓ 64.4%$156
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,240 in Biel versus $222 in Cairo. 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 2662% 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 Biel versus $28.00 in Cairo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $538 vs $142 – making Cairo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Biel?
Yes – Biel is pricier by about 337%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,240 per month in Biel and $970 in Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cairo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 974% less in Cairo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,620 per month in Biel and $121 in Cairo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Biel or in Cairo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cairo, where all-in costs run around $647, than in Biel at $2,826. In Cairo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Biel or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Biel or Cairo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cairo. 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.