Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Reykjavik

For one person, living is cheaper in Biel: $2,841 a month against $4,040 in Reykjavik, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Biel
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Biel Living Index
194

Cost of Living Index in Reykjavik
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Reykjavik Living Index

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Biel

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,841

/mo nomad

Reykjavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$4,040

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Biel and in Reykjavik

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Biel and in Reykjavik actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,841 per month in Biel vs $4,040 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Biel $2,841
Reykjavik $4,040

A couple spends around $4,464 per month in Biel vs $5,742 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Biel $4,464
Reykjavik $5,742

A family of three spends $6,086 per month in Biel vs $7,445 in Reykjavik, rent included.

Biel $6,086
Reykjavik $7,445

Biel is about 30% cheaper than Reykjavik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Biel and Reykjavik sit above the global median – Biel by 109%, Reykjavik by 197%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.78 CHF 24.65

$31.42 ISK 3,818

-5.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 CHF 90.9

$125 ISK 15.2K

-12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.20 CHF 15.07

$27.18 ISK 3,303

-33.04%

Cappuccino

$6.18 CHF 5.12

$6.65 ISK 808

-7.07%

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

$5.19 CHF 4.30

$3.41 ISK 414

52.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 CHF 3.59

$3.04 ISK 370

42.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 CHF 6.60

$14.18 ISK 1,723

-43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CHF 3.97

$12.16 ISK 1,478

-60.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.82

$2.10 ISK 255

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 CHF 3.34

$4.14 ISK 502

-2.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.63

$3.69 ISK 448

-14.09%

Eggs

$7.29 CHF 6.04

$7.09 ISK 861

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.06 CHF 18.26

$22.32 ISK 2,712

-1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.61 CHF 22.86

$24.78 ISK 3,010

11.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.54 CHF 32.74

$42.67 ISK 5,185

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 CHF 2.64

$3.29 ISK 400

-3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.77

$2.88 ISK 350

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.06

$3.27 ISK 397

-23.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.64

$6.37 ISK 774

-50.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CHF 1.23

$3.96 ISK 482

-62.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.48

$1.62 ISK 197

9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 CHF 1.69

$3.70 ISK 450

-44.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 CHF 0.88

$1.77 ISK 215

-40.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 9.16

$13.66 ISK 1,659

-18.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 CHF 12.65

$24.16 ISK 2,935

-36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CHF 0.77

$3.66 ISK 444

-74.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 CHF 1.47

$3.43 ISK 416

-48.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.80 CHF 3.97

$5.49 ISK 667

-12.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.7 CHF 78.4

$96.1 ISK 11.7K

-1.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 CHF 6.55

$6.85 ISK 832

15.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.65 CHF 3.85

$2.90 ISK 352

60.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 CHF 70.8

$81.8 ISK 9,944

4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.83

$2.02 ISK 245

9.41%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.8K

$68.2K ISK 8.3M

-41.80%

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

$34.3K CHF 28.4K

$56.3K ISK 6.8M

-39.03%

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

$134 CHF 111

$95.9 ISK 11.7K

40.19%

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

$35.35 CHF 29.27

$32.16 ISK 3,907

9.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CHF 42.65

$86.4 ISK 10.5K

-40.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 CHF 62.5

$96.9 ISK 11.8K

-22.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.2 ISK 6,221

Cinema Ticket

$22.03 CHF 18.24

$19.28 ISK 2,342

14.26%

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

$2,676 CHF 2,215

$1,178 ISK 143.1K

127.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K CHF 30.3K

$25.8K ISK 3.1M

41.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 CHF 88.3

$152 ISK 18.5K

-29.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.85 CHF 33.82

$66.5 ISK 8,082

-38.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 CHF 114

$183 ISK 22.3K

-24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$220 CHF 182

$246 ISK 29.9K

-10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 CHF 1,019

$2,585 ISK 314.0K

-52.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 CHF 930

$2,098 ISK 254.9K

-46.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 CHF 1,861

$3,513 ISK 426.9K

-36.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,007 CHF 1,662

$2,792 ISK 339.2K

-28.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,720 CHF 8,047

$8,038 ISK 976.6K

20.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,717 CHF 6,389

$6,305 ISK 766.1K

22.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,640 CHF 4,669

$4,549 ISK 552.7K

23.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.68

8.81

-80.93%

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

Last update for Biel: October 25, 2026

Last update for Reykjavik: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Biel

$1.1K 39.6%

Reykjavik

$2.1K 51.9% 86.7% $974

Groceries & Markets

Biel

$549 19.3%

Reykjavik

$628 15.5% 14.2% $78

Eating Out

Biel

$455 16%

Reykjavik

$534 13.2% 17.4% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Biel

$228 8%

Reykjavik

$291 7.2% 28.1% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Biel

$221 7.8%

Reykjavik

$215 5.3% 3.1% $6.8

Getting Around

Biel

$145 5.1%

Reykjavik

$139 3.5% 3.9% $5.6

Sport & Entertainment

Biel

$120 4.2%

Reykjavik

$135 3.4% 13.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,231 in Biel versus $2,585 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 24% 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 $110 in Biel versus $125 in Reykjavik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $549 vs $628 – making Biel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Biel

🇮🇸 Reykjavik

🕒 Local time

04:09 4:09 AM

03:09 3:09 AM

1 h behind Biel

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,378

136,894 Capital

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.39 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.922 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 135 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.39 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Biel Reykjavik 2,590 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Biel
Reykjavik

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,262 per month in Biel and $6,061 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,231 there versus $2,585 in Reykjavik.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $110 in Biel and $125 in Reykjavik. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Reykjavik, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,841 in Biel and $4,040 in Reykjavik. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Reykjavik has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,841 in Biel to $4,040 in Reykjavik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.