Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,916 per month in Biel vs $2,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,536 per month in Biel vs $3,409 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,157 per month in Biel vs $4,496 in Lisbon, rent included.

Biel costs about 26% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Biel and Lisbon sit above the global median – Biel by 113%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.25 CHF 24.99

$17.10 €14.63

82.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 88.2

$64.1 €54.8

72.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.96 CHF 14.36

$11.71 €10.02

53.37%

Cappuccino

$6.28 CHF 5.02

$3.14 €2.69

100.00%

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

$5.10 CHF 4.08

$2.51 €2.14

103.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.43

$1.66 €1.42

157.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 CHF 6.24

$3.51 €3.01

122.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.93

$3.37 €2.88

45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.78

$1.16 €0.99

91.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 CHF 3.25

$2.02 €1.73

100.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 CHF 2.74

$1.58 €1.35

117.09%

Eggs

$7.24 CHF 5.79

$4.05 €3.46

78.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.22 CHF 18.56

$12.81 €10.96

81.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.97 CHF 21.56

$8.02 €6.86

236.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.39 CHF 35.49

$17.03 €14.57

160.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.58

$2.38 €2.03

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$1.83 €1.57

20.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.97

$1.99 €1.71

24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.63

$2.67 €2.28

23.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 CHF 1.20

$1.90 €1.63

-21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.52

$1.97 €1.69

-3.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CHF 1.77

$1.43 €1.23

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.91

$0.91 €0.78

25.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 CHF 8.83

$6.82 €5.84

62.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 CHF 12.74

$5.73 €4.90

178.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 CHF 0.73

$1.33 €1.14

-31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CHF 1.47

$2.13 €1.83

-13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.90 CHF 3.92

$2.40 €2.05

104.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 CHF 76.0

$45.94 €39.30

106.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 CHF 6.40

$4.25 €3.63

88.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.59 CHF 3.67

$1.11 €0.95

313.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 CHF 68.1

$17.99 €15.39

373.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.78

$2.20 €1.88

0.91%

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

$43.1K CHF 34.5K

$35.2K €30.1K

22.56%

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

$35.0K CHF 28.0K

$40.0K €34.2K

-12.59%

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

$141 CHF 113

$171 €146

-17.31%

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

$36.50 CHF 29.18

$19.61 €16.78

86.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CHF 41.33

$33.19 €28.39

55.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.9 CHF 61.5

$47.96 €41.02

60.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 €17.01

Cinema Ticket

$22.20 CHF 17.75

$10.12 €8.66

119.37%

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

$2,665 CHF 2,131

$700 €599

280.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.5K CHF 30.0K

$17.4K €14.8K

116.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 87.6

$109 €93.4

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 CHF 39.66

$47.84 €40.92

3.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 CHF 114

$106 €90.9

34.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 177

$126 €108

75.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CHF 1,034

$1,708 €1,461

-24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 CHF 914

$1,265 €1,082

-9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 CHF 1,822

$2,973 €2,543

-23.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 CHF 1,635

$2,000 €1,711

2.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,821 CHF 7,853

$8,013 €6,855

22.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,971 CHF 6,373

$4,525 €3,871

76.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,625 CHF 4,498

$1,663 €1,422

238.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

3.73

-54.96%

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

Last update for Biel: August 17, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Biel versus $1,708 in Lisbon. 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 238% 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 $110 in Biel versus $64.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $570 vs $277 – making Lisbon 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,374 per month in Biel and $3,483 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 107% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,665 per month in Biel and $700 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,916 in Biel and $2,322 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – 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 Lisbon. 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.