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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,862 per month in Biel vs $2,203 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,510 per month in Biel vs $3,237 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,157 per month in Biel vs $4,272 in Lisbon, rent included.

Biel costs about 30% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Biel and Lisbon sit above the global median – Biel by 114%, Lisbon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.59 CHF 24.61

$17.01 €15.17

73.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 88.6

$62.7 €55.9

69.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 15.22

$11.42 €10.18

60.25%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.13

$3.09 €2.75

99.68%

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

$5.01 CHF 4.16

$2.37 €2.11

111.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 CHF 3.43

$1.66 €1.48

148.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 CHF 6.46

$3.46 €3.08

124.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 CHF 4.07

$3.29 €2.93

48.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.79

$1.17 €1.04

83.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.31

$1.87 €1.66

113.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.74

$1.52 €1.35

116.45%

Eggs

$7.08 CHF 5.89

$3.88 €3.46

82.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.61 CHF 18.80

$12.87 €11.48

75.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.65 CHF 22.99

$7.94 €7.08

248.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.52 CHF 32.03

$17.63 €15.72

118.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 CHF 2.58

$2.26 €2.01

37.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.69

$1.76 €1.57

15.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.07

$1.88 €1.68

32.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 CHF 2.67

$2.47 €2.20

29.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 CHF 1.18

$1.86 €1.66

-24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.46

$2.07 €1.85

-14.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 CHF 1.66

$1.39 €1.24

43.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.88

$0.81 €0.72

30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.84

$6.89 €6.15

54.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 CHF 12.32

$5.53 €4.93

167.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 CHF 0.76

$1.33 €1.19

-30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CHF 1.48

$2.17 €1.93

-17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.77 CHF 3.97

$2.24 €2.00

112.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.5 CHF 78.6

$45.14 €40.25

109.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.54

$4.00 €3.57

96.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.64 CHF 3.86

$1.07 €0.95

333.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.3 CHF 70.1

$16.53 €14.74

409.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.83

$2.26 €2.02

-2.21%

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

$41.9K CHF 34.8K

$33.5K €29.9K

25.06%

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

$34.0K CHF 28.3K

$40.5K €36.1K

-15.92%

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

$137 CHF 114

$164 €146

-16.49%

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

$35.28 CHF 29.34

$18.54 €16.53

90.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 CHF 43.21

$33.21 €29.61

56.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.8 CHF 62.2

$46.01 €41.02

62.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.80 €16.77

Cinema Ticket

$22.05 CHF 18.34

$9.47 €8.44

132.84%

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

$2,615 CHF 2,174

$690 €615

279.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K CHF 31.0K

$16.9K €15.0K

121.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 CHF 88.2

$105 €93.3

1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 CHF 33.30

$45.27 €40.37

-11.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 CHF 114

$99.0 €88.2

38.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 CHF 177

$124 €111

72.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 CHF 1,030

$1,583 €1,411

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 936

$1,209 €1,078

-6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 CHF 1,872

$2,833 €2,526

-20.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 CHF 1,669

$1,964 €1,751

2.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,747 CHF 8,106

$7,643 €6,815

27.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,907 CHF 6,575

$4,431 €3,951

78.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,538 CHF 4,605

$1,573 €1,402

252.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

3.79

-55.67%

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

Last update for Biel: October 4, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,239 in Biel versus $1,583 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 252% 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 $107 in Biel versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $272 – 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 30%, 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 $4,293 per month in Biel and $3,304 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 109% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,615 per month in Biel and $690 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,203, than in Biel at $2,862. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.