Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Biel Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Biel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,790 per month in Lausanne vs $2,862 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,672 per month in Lausanne vs $4,510 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,554 per month in Lausanne vs $6,157 in Biel, rent included.

Lausanne costs about 32% more than Biel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lausanne and Biel sit above the global median – Lausanne by 183%, Biel by 114%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.72 CHF 24.71

$29.59 CHF 24.61

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 CHF 97.1

$107 CHF 88.6

9.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.81 CHF 14.81

$18.30 CHF 15.22

-2.68%

Cappuccino

$6.03 CHF 5.01

$6.17 CHF 5.13

-2.27%

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

$4.99 CHF 4.15

$5.01 CHF 4.16

-0.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 CHF 3.41

$4.12 CHF 3.43

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.12 CHF 8.42

$7.76 CHF 6.46

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.39 CHF 7.81

$4.89 CHF 4.07

92.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.86

$2.15 CHF 1.79

4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 CHF 3.30

$3.99 CHF 3.31

-0.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CHF 2.77

$3.29 CHF 2.74

1.22%

Eggs

$7.05 CHF 5.86

$7.08 CHF 5.89

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.14 CHF 20.07

$22.61 CHF 18.80

6.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.93 CHF 23.23

$27.65 CHF 22.99

1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.52 CHF 32.87

$38.52 CHF 32.03

2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 CHF 2.89

$3.11 CHF 2.58

11.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.78

$2.03 CHF 1.69

5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 CHF 2.13

$2.49 CHF 2.07

2.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 CHF 3.87

$3.21 CHF 2.67

44.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.48

$1.41 CHF 1.18

26.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CHF 1.64

$1.76 CHF 1.46

11.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 CHF 1.64

$1.99 CHF 1.66

-1.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.44

$1.06 CHF 0.88

63.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.68 CHF 8.88

$10.63 CHF 8.84

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 CHF 12.65

$14.81 CHF 12.32

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 CHF 2.24

$0.92 CHF 0.76

193.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.65

$1.79 CHF 1.48

77.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.45 CHF 3.70

$4.77 CHF 3.97

-6.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.3 CHF 78.4

$94.5 CHF 78.6

-0.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 CHF 6.56

$7.86 CHF 6.54

0.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.50 CHF 3.75

$4.64 CHF 3.86

-3.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.4 CHF 69.3

$84.3 CHF 70.1

-1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.91

$2.21 CHF 1.83

4.07%

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

$43.5K CHF 36.2K

$41.9K CHF 34.8K

3.89%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.9K

$34.0K CHF 28.3K

16.25%

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

$288 CHF 240

$137 CHF 114

110.89%

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

$37.56 CHF 31.23

$35.28 CHF 29.34

6.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 43.43

$52.0 CHF 43.21

0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 CHF 60.1

$74.8 CHF 62.2

-3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.87 CHF 40.64

Cinema Ticket

$23.88 CHF 19.86

$22.05 CHF 18.34

8.30%

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

$2,913 CHF 2,422

$2,615 CHF 2,174

11.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.7K CHF 30.5K

$37.3K CHF 31.0K

-1.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 118

$106 CHF 88.2

33.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.0 CHF 64.0

$40.05 CHF 33.30

92.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 CHF 118

$137 CHF 114

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 CHF 176

$213 CHF 177

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 CHF 1,896

$1,239 CHF 1,030

84.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 CHF 1,508

$1,126 CHF 936

61.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,204 CHF 3,496

$2,251 CHF 1,872

86.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 CHF 2,663

$2,007 CHF 1,669

59.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K CHF 15.2K

$9,747 CHF 8,106

87.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.7K CHF 11.4K

$7,907 CHF 6,575

73.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,565 CHF 5,460

$5,538 CHF 4,605

18.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

1.68

16.07%

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

Last update for Lausanne: October 4, 2026

Last update for Biel: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,280 in Lausanne versus $1,239 in Biel. 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 Lausanne, 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 $117 in Lausanne versus $107 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $586 vs $544 – 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

Lausanne vs Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lausanne is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,684 per month in Lausanne and $4,293 in Biel. 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 0% less in Biel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,913 per month in Lausanne and $2,615 in Biel. 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 $3,790 in Lausanne and $2,862 in Biel. 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, Lausanne makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.