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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,862 per month in Biel vs $1,190 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,510 per month in Biel vs $2,006 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,157 per month in Biel vs $2,822 in Phuket, rent included.

Biel costs about 141% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Biel sits 114% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.59 CHF 24.61

$4.35 ฿146

580.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 88.6

$32.45 ฿1,091

228.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.30 CHF 15.22

$8.42 ฿283

117.34%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 5.13

$2.81 ฿94.4

119.57%

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

$5.01 CHF 4.16

$0.87 ฿29.42

475.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 CHF 3.43

$0.46 ฿15.46

795.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 CHF 6.46

$2.59 ฿86.9

199.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 CHF 4.07

$3.64 ฿123

34.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.79

$1.71 ฿57.4

25.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 CHF 3.31

$1.45 ฿48.62

175.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CHF 2.74

$1.56 ฿52.5

110.90%

Eggs

$7.08 CHF 5.89

$2.10 ฿70.6

237.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.61 CHF 18.80

$19.53 ฿656

15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.65 CHF 22.99

$3.40 ฿114

713.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$38.52 CHF 32.03

$11.14 ฿375

245.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 CHF 2.58

$2.83 ฿95.2

9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.69

$1.62 ฿54.6

25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.07

$2.22 ฿74.8

12.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 CHF 2.67

$2.15 ฿72.2

49.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 CHF 1.18

$1.49 ฿50.2

-5.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 CHF 1.46

$1.33 ฿44.59

32.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 CHF 1.66

$1.07 ฿35.87

85.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.88

$0.51 ฿17.08

107.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 CHF 8.84

$4.38 ฿147

142.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 CHF 12.32

$18.77 ฿631

-21.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 CHF 0.76

$1.74 ฿58.5

-47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CHF 1.48

$2.78 ฿93.3

-35.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.77 CHF 3.97

$2.17 ฿72.9

119.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.5 CHF 78.6

$22.28 ฿749

324.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.86 CHF 6.54

$3.02 ฿101

160.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.64 CHF 3.86

$1.06 ฿35.57

337.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$84.3 CHF 70.1

$3.71 ฿125

2171.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.83

$1.43 ฿48.08

54.55%

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

$41.9K CHF 34.8K

$26.3K ฿885.8K

59.05%

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

$34.0K CHF 28.3K

$26.2K ฿881.0K

29.90%

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

$137 CHF 114

$96.7 ฿3,250

41.34%

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

$35.28 CHF 29.34

$11.41 ฿384

209.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 CHF 43.21

$17.11 ฿575

203.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.8 CHF 62.2

$52.8 ฿1,775

41.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$22.05 CHF 18.34

$7.65 ฿257

188.24%

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

$2,615 CHF 2,174

$555 ฿18.7K

371.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K CHF 31.0K

$11.3K ฿379.3K

230.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 CHF 88.2

$63.4 ฿2,132

67.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 CHF 33.30

$28.61 ฿962

39.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 CHF 114

$96.7 ฿3,252

41.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 CHF 177

$88.6 ฿2,979

140.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 CHF 1,030

$735 ฿24.7K

68.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 936

$458 ฿15.4K

145.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 CHF 1,872

$2,102 ฿70.7K

7.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 CHF 1,669

$1,187 ฿39.9K

69.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,747 CHF 8,106

$3,493 ฿117.4K

179.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,907 CHF 6,575

$2,491 ฿83.8K

217.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,538 CHF 4,605

$501 ฿16.8K

1005.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

5.57

-69.84%

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

Last update for Biel: October 4, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,239 in Biel versus $735 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 1005% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $268 – 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 141%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,785 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 324% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,615 per month in Biel and $555 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 $1,190, than in Biel at $2,862. 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.