Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Reykjavik Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Reykjavik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,096 per month in Biel vs $3,789 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,763 per month in Biel vs $5,477 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,429 per month in Biel vs $7,165 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Biel is about 18% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Biel and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Biel by 131%, Reykjavik by 183%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 CHF 19.54

$26.55 ISK 3,251

-6.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 89.3

$144 ISK 17.6K

-21.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 12.68

$22.87 ISK 2,801

-29.91%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.01

$5.98 ISK 732

5.85%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.21

$3.23 ISK 396

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CHF 4.00

$2.55 ISK 312

98.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 CHF 6.16

$13.06 ISK 1,599

-40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$11.07 ISK 1,356

-37.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$1.87 ISK 229

20.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 CHF 2.94

$4.33 ISK 530

-14.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$3.63 ISK 444

17.91%

Eggs

$7.51 CHF 5.94

$6.51 ISK 797

15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.27 CHF 23.95

$18.39 ISK 2,251

64.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.98 CHF 28.46

$24.53 ISK 3,004

46.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.22

$43.02 ISK 5,268

18.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.59

$3.26 ISK 399

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$2.42 ISK 296

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.36

$3.04 ISK 372

-1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CHF 3.44

$5.08 ISK 622

-14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$3.57 ISK 437

-30.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.40 ISK 294

-0.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.11

$3.10 ISK 379

-13.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.70

$2.00 ISK 245

-55.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.80

$13.44 ISK 1,646

-17.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CHF 9.99

$23.20 ISK 2,841

-45.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$3.73 ISK 456

-35.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CHF 2.63

$3.37 ISK 412

-1.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 CHF 3.53

$5.34 ISK 653

-16.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.3

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

24.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.92

$6.27 ISK 768

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.05 CHF 3.20

$2.56 ISK 313

58.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.4 CHF 65.2

$87.5 ISK 10.7K

-5.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$2.48 ISK 303

-13.31%

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

$31.3K CHF 24.8K

$47.6K ISK 5.8M

-34.24%

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

$28.5K CHF 22.5K

$51.8K ISK 6.3M

-44.95%

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

$244 CHF 193

$88.4 ISK 10.8K

176.00%

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

$36.50 CHF 28.87

$27.80 ISK 3,404

31.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 43.97

$85.6 ISK 10.5K

-35.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CHF 90.3

$83.2 ISK 10.2K

37.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.2 CHF 57.9

$37.45 ISK 4,586

95.33%

Cinema Ticket

$21.76 CHF 17.21

$17.88 ISK 2,190

21.70%

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

$2,865 CHF 2,266

$322 ISK 39.5K

788.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$30.5K ISK 3.7M

38.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$141 ISK 17.2K

0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CHF 35.98

$62.2 ISK 7,611

-26.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 104

$179 ISK 22.0K

-26.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 126

$261 ISK 31.9K

-39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CHF 1,027

$2,244 ISK 274.8K

-42.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 890

$2,065 ISK 252.8K

-45.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,798

$3,173 ISK 388.5K

-28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,480

$2,734 ISK 334.8K

-31.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,986 CHF 7,899

$7,787 ISK 953.4K

28.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,674

$6,505 ISK 796.5K

29.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,974 CHF 6,307

$4,496 ISK 550.5K

77.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

9.63

-80.48%

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

Last update for Biel: April 25, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Biel versus $2,244 in Reykjavik. 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 77% higher in Biel, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $113 in Biel versus $144 in Reykjavik. Groceries tell a different story – $672 in Biel vs $601 in Reykjavik – so Reykjavik wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reykjavik is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,644 per month in Biel and $5,683 in Reykjavik. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 25% less in Biel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,865 per month in Biel and $322 in Reykjavik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,096 in Biel and $3,789 in Reykjavik. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Biel – 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 Biel. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Reykjavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.