Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,120 per month in Biel vs $1,223 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,725 per month in Biel vs $2,237 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,330 per month in Biel vs $3,251 in Phuket, rent included.

Biel costs about 155% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 134% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.31 CHF 19.28

$4.51 ฿147

439.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 86.6

$46.62 ฿1,515

134.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.01 CHF 12.70

$8.49 ฿276

88.57%

Cappuccino

$6.15 CHF 4.88

$3.08 ฿100

99.68%

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

$5.31 CHF 4.21

$0.68 ฿22.07

680.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CHF 3.87

$0.36 ฿11.75

1252.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.65 CHF 6.06

$2.43 ฿78.8

214.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 CHF 5.46

$3.63 ฿118

89.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$2.19 ฿71.1

-0.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 2.99

$1.81 ฿59.0

108.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.38

$2.23 ฿72.5

91.03%

Eggs

$7.54 CHF 5.98

$2.24 ฿72.7

236.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.72 CHF 24.37

$19.60 ฿637

56.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.92 CHF 27.69

$3.72 ฿121

838.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.7 CHF 41.01

$13.47 ฿438

283.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.66

$3.36 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.62 ฿52.5

38.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.38

$2.41 ฿78.3

24.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$1.99 ฿64.6

106.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CHF 1.97

$1.53 ฿49.76

62.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.45 ฿47.19

71.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.07

$1.01 ฿32.96

157.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 CHF 0.71

$0.48 ฿15.73

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 CHF 8.81

$4.27 ฿139

160.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CHF 10.76

$19.12 ฿621

-29.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 CHF 1.83

$1.84 ฿59.7

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.64

$2.74 ฿89.1

21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 CHF 3.50

$1.42 ฿46.06

211.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 87.3

$11.72 ฿381

838.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.94

$3.00 ฿97.6

318.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$1.05 ฿34.00

302.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.5 CHF 67.0

$13.90 ฿452

507.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$1.29 ฿41.94

65.89%

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

$31.1K CHF 24.7K

$28.0K ฿911.1K

10.91%

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

$28.6K CHF 22.6K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-14.77%

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

$245 CHF 194

$122 ฿3,964

100.84%

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

$35.79 CHF 28.38

$13.93 ฿453

156.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 44.44

$18.87 ฿613

196.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$113 CHF 90.0

$61.3 ฿1,992

85.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.6 CHF 58.4

$16.84 ฿547

336.88%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 17.90

$8.89 ฿289

153.88%

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

$2,933 CHF 2,326

$691 ฿22.5K

324.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

$16.2K ฿525.2K

163.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 110

$57.8 ฿1,878

139.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 CHF 37.24

$35.39 ฿1,150

32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 105

$113 ฿3,685

16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 CHF 127

$83.0 ฿2,698

92.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CHF 1,022

$607 ฿19.7K

112.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CHF 916

$448 ฿14.6K

157.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 CHF 1,826

$2,029 ฿66.0K

13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CHF 1,444

$1,493 ฿48.5K

21.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K CHF 8,071

$3,585 ฿116.5K

183.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,232 CHF 6,529

$2,585 ฿84.0K

218.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,807 CHF 6,191

$505 ฿16.4K

1446.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

5.33

-64.73%

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

Last update for Biel: June 16, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Biel versus $607 in Phuket. 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 1447% 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 $109 in Biel versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 vs $292 – making Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 155%, 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 $4,679 per month in Biel and $1,835 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 839% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,933 per month in Biel and $691 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,223, than in Biel at $3,120. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. 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.