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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,848 per month in Biel vs $3,943 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,556 per month in Biel vs $5,770 in Reykjavik, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,264 per month in Biel vs $7,597 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Biel is about 28% cheaper than Reykjavik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biel and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Biel by 107%, Reykjavik by 186%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.57 CHF 24.94

$30.43 ISK 3,666

0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 89.1

$135 ISK 16.3K

-19.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.07 CHF 14.75

$26.74 ISK 3,221

-32.42%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.91

$7.01 ISK 845

-14.12%

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

$5.11 CHF 4.17

$3.30 ISK 397

54.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 CHF 3.49

$3.17 ISK 382

35.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 CHF 6.43

$14.35 ISK 1,728

-45.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 CHF 3.96

$12.34 ISK 1,487

-60.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.80

$2.07 ISK 249

6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 CHF 3.28

$4.32 ISK 521

-7.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.68

$3.52 ISK 424

-6.82%

Eggs

$7.22 CHF 5.90

$7.12 ISK 858

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.59 CHF 18.44

$21.59 ISK 2,600

4.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.84 CHF 23.53

$25.15 ISK 3,030

14.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.01 CHF 33.47

$42.98 ISK 5,177

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.56

$3.53 ISK 425

-11.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.73

$2.87 ISK 346

-26.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$3.31 ISK 399

-23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.61

$6.45 ISK 777

-50.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 CHF 1.19

$3.98 ISK 479

-63.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$1.71 ISK 206

6.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 CHF 1.68

$3.68 ISK 443

-44.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CHF 0.92

$1.84 ISK 221

-38.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 CHF 9.21

$13.99 ISK 1,685

-19.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 CHF 12.53

$23.89 ISK 2,877

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CHF 0.77

$3.88 ISK 468

-75.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.55

$3.54 ISK 427

-46.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.84 CHF 3.95

$5.86 ISK 705

-17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 CHF 80.2

$96.2 ISK 11.6K

2.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 CHF 6.59

$6.70 ISK 807

20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.79 CHF 3.91

$2.91 ISK 350

64.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.8 CHF 70.0

$75.8 ISK 9,129

13.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.76

$2.05 ISK 247

5.37%

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

$44.4K CHF 36.2K

$51.5K ISK 6.2M

-13.84%

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

$35.6K CHF 29.0K

$53.8K ISK 6.5M

-33.91%

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

$139 CHF 113

$88.2 ISK 10.6K

57.05%

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

$35.74 CHF 29.17

$33.57 ISK 4,044

6.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.96 CHF 40.77

$86.2 ISK 10.4K

-42.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CHF 63.4

$96.5 ISK 11.6K

-19.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 ISK 6,036

Cinema Ticket

$21.97 CHF 17.93

$20.01 ISK 2,410

9.80%

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

$2,684 CHF 2,190

$1,172 ISK 141.1K

129.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K CHF 30.2K

$31.3K ISK 3.8M

18.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 88.5

$159 ISK 19.2K

-31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 CHF 40.70

$67.8 ISK 8,164

-26.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 119

$178 ISK 21.5K

-18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$222 CHF 182

$252 ISK 30.4K

-11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 CHF 1,061

$2,489 ISK 299.8K

-47.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 CHF 952

$2,096 ISK 252.4K

-44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,277 CHF 1,858

$3,429 ISK 413.1K

-33.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 CHF 1,716

$2,761 ISK 332.6K

-23.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,937 CHF 8,110

$8,179 ISK 985.2K

21.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,145 CHF 6,647

$6,507 ISK 783.8K

25.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,678 CHF 4,633

$4,761 ISK 573.5K

19.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

8.88

-81.08%

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

Last update for Biel: September 6, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,301 in Biel versus $2,489 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 19% 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 $109 in Biel versus $135 in Reykjavik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $633 – making Biel 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 Reykjavik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Reykjavik is pricier by about 38%, 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 $4,272 per month in Biel and $5,915 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 2% less in Biel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,684 per month in Biel and $1,172 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 $2,848 in Biel and $3,943 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.