Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Biel and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,147 per month in Biel vs $4,270 in Zurich, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,834 per month in Biel vs $6,491 in Zurich, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,521 per month in Biel vs $8,712 in Zurich, rent included.

Biel is about 26% cheaper than Zurich, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Biel and Zurich sit above the global median – Biel by 136%, Zurich by 220%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.04 CHF 20.21

$30.84 CHF 24.88

-18.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 91.2

$147 CHF 119

-23.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.08 CHF 12.98

$20.72 CHF 16.72

-22.39%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.10

$6.94 CHF 5.60

-8.93%

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

$5.39 CHF 4.35

$6.04 CHF 4.88

-10.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 CHF 4.10

$5.24 CHF 4.23

-3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 CHF 6.08

$9.83 CHF 7.94

-23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 CHF 5.53

$8.52 CHF 6.87

-19.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.77

$2.18 CHF 1.76

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 CHF 3.10

$3.25 CHF 2.62

18.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 CHF 3.29

$4.12 CHF 3.32

-1.21%

Eggs

$7.13 CHF 5.75

$7.26 CHF 5.85

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.03 CHF 25.04

$30.00 CHF 24.21

3.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.50 CHF 28.65

$34.06 CHF 27.49

4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 41.79

$50.2 CHF 40.48

3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CHF 2.71

$4.09 CHF 3.30

-17.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.80

$2.91 CHF 2.34

-23.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.33

$3.02 CHF 2.44

-4.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.34

$4.98 CHF 4.02

-16.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$2.75 CHF 2.22

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.01

$2.34 CHF 1.89

6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CHF 2.13

$2.54 CHF 2.05

3.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 CHF 0.73

$1.72 CHF 1.39

-47.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.95 CHF 8.84

$11.29 CHF 9.11

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 CHF 10.71

$13.58 CHF 10.96

-2.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.89

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 CHF 2.77

$3.23 CHF 2.60

6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 CHF 3.50

$5.02 CHF 4.05

-13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CHF 90.8

$107 CHF 86.4

5.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.23 CHF 9.87

$7.81 CHF 6.30

56.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.35

$4.31 CHF 3.48

-3.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.5 CHF 67.3

$86.9 CHF 70.1

-3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$2.24 CHF 1.80

-1.34%

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

$30.4K CHF 24.6K

$39.7K CHF 32.0K

-23.36%

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

$28.2K CHF 22.7K

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

-29.17%

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

$248 CHF 200

$258 CHF 208

-4.02%

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

$36.44 CHF 29.40

$36.31 CHF 29.30

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 CHF 45.29

$59.4 CHF 47.92

-5.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 CHF 94.6

$89.5 CHF 72.2

30.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.6 CHF 60.2

$50.1 CHF 40.41

49.00%

Cinema Ticket

$21.76 CHF 17.56

$24.81 CHF 20.02

-12.29%

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

$2,865 CHF 2,311

$3,344 CHF 2,698

-14.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.3K CHF 35.0K

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

10.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$138 CHF 111

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.38 CHF 36.62

$61.7 CHF 49.80

-26.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 105

$147 CHF 119

-11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 CHF 129

$200 CHF 161

-19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 CHF 1,043

$2,721 CHF 2,195

-52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 CHF 909

$2,227 CHF 1,797

-49.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,338 CHF 1,886

$5,054 CHF 4,078

-53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CHF 1,486

$3,797 CHF 3,064

-51.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,781 CHF 7,892

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

-64.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,907 CHF 6,381

$16.4K CHF 13.2K

-51.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,697 CHF 6,211

$8,287 CHF 6,687

-7.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

2.09

-10.05%

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

Last update for Biel: July 11, 2026

Last update for Zurich: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,293 in Biel versus $2,721 in Zurich. 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 8% higher in Zurich, 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 $113 in Biel versus $147 in Zurich. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $673 vs $676 – 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 Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 36%, 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 $4,721 per month in Biel and $6,406 in Zurich. 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 5% 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 $3,344 in Zurich. 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 $3,147 in Biel and $4,270 in Zurich. 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, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.