Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lugano and Biel

For one person, living is cheaper in Biel: $2,882 a month against $3,426 in Lugano, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

164

Cost of Living Index in Lugano
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Lugano Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Biel
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Biel Living Index

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Lugano

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,426

/mo nomad

Biel

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lugano and in Biel

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

A single person spends $3,426 per month in Lugano vs $2,882 in Biel, rent included.

Lugano $3,426
Biel $2,882

A couple spends around $5,620 per month in Lugano vs $4,522 in Biel, rent included.

Lugano $5,620
Biel $4,522

A family of three spends $7,813 per month in Lugano vs $6,163 in Biel, rent included.

Lugano $7,813
Biel $6,163

Lugano costs about 19% more than Biel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lugano and Biel sit above the global median – Lugano by 153%, Biel by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.19 CHF 27.97

$30.14 CHF 24.65

13.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$185 CHF 151

$108 CHF 88.2

71.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.80 CHF 16.20

$18.51 CHF 15.14

6.97%

Cappuccino

$4.75 CHF 3.88

$6.17 CHF 5.04

-23.01%

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

$5.46 CHF 4.46

$4.95 CHF 4.05

10.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 CHF 3.68

$4.08 CHF 3.34

10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.96 CHF 8.15

$7.82 CHF 6.39

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 CHF 6.05

$4.83 CHF 3.95

53.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.82

$2.09 CHF 1.71

6.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 CHF 2.93

$4.03 CHF 3.30

-11.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 CHF 3.31

$3.24 CHF 2.65

25.00%

Eggs

$7.07 CHF 5.79

$7.57 CHF 6.19

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.55 CHF 21.71

$22.23 CHF 18.18

19.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.29 CHF 23.96

$28.41 CHF 23.23

3.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.11 CHF 33.63

$39.40 CHF 32.22

4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 CHF 2.77

$3.13 CHF 2.56

8.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 CHF 1.36

$2.05 CHF 1.68

-18.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.05

$2.57 CHF 2.10

-2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 CHF 5.38

$3.12 CHF 2.55

110.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CHF 1.47

$1.50 CHF 1.23

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CHF 1.80

$1.86 CHF 1.52

18.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CHF 2.02

$2.06 CHF 1.69

19.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.01

$1.12 CHF 0.91

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.15

$10.85 CHF 8.88

3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 CHF 11.85

$15.47 CHF 12.65

-6.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 CHF 2.80

$0.96 CHF 0.78

256.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CHF 3.39

$1.87 CHF 1.53

121.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.18 CHF 2.60

$5.00 CHF 4.09

-36.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CHF 51.6

$95.7 CHF 78.3

-34.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 CHF 5.96

$7.81 CHF 6.39

-6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.68 CHF 4.65

$4.72 CHF 3.86

20.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.3 CHF 64.0

$85.1 CHF 69.6

-8.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 CHF 2.00

$2.34 CHF 1.91

4.70%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.7K

$39.3K CHF 32.1K

1.80%

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

$40.3K CHF 32.9K

$35.5K CHF 29.1K

13.33%

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

$333 CHF 273

$136 CHF 111

145.38%

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

$25.74 CHF 21.06

$36.33 CHF 29.72

-29.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 CHF 40.97

$52.8 CHF 43.16

-5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 CHF 60.9

$78.2 CHF 64.0

-4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.16 CHF 30.39

Cinema Ticket

$20.91 CHF 17.10

$22.31 CHF 18.24

-6.28%

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

$3,202 CHF 2,619

$2,738 CHF 2,240

16.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K CHF 35.9K

$41.7K CHF 34.1K

5.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 89.1

$109 CHF 89.2

-0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.94 CHF 39.21

$40.63 CHF 33.23

17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 136

$139 CHF 113

19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 CHF 137

$215 CHF 176

-21.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 CHF 1,591

$1,279 CHF 1,046

52.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 CHF 1,197

$1,150 CHF 941

27.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,792 CHF 3,102

$2,325 CHF 1,901

63.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,026 CHF 2,475

$2,065 CHF 1,689

46.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.4K CHF 12.6K

$9,897 CHF 8,095

55.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,744 CHF 7,970

$7,910 CHF 6,470

23.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,820 CHF 5,578

$5,757 CHF 4,709

18.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.37

1.68

41.07%

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

Last update for Lugano: November 3, 2026

Last update for Biel: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lugano

$1.5K 42.7%

Biel

$1.2K 39.9% 21.4% $313

Groceries & Markets

Lugano

$611 17.8%

Biel

$555 19.2% 9.2% $56

Eating Out

Lugano

$494 14.4%

Biel

$456 15.8% 7.9% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lugano

$409 11.9%

Biel

$225 7.8% 45% $184

Clothing & Footwear

Lugano

$221 6.5%

Biel

$226 7.9% 2.4% $5.3

Sport & Entertainment

Lugano

$116 3.4%

Biel

$123 4.3% 5.7% $6.6

Getting Around

Lugano

$111 3.3%

Biel

$147 5.1% 32% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,945 in Lugano versus $1,279 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 18% higher in Lugano, 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 $185 in Lugano versus $108 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $611 vs $555 – making Biel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Lugano

🇨🇭 Biel

🕒 Local time

00:55 12:55 AM

Same time as Lugano

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,583

56,378

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.22 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

1 CHF = 1.22 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Lugano Biel 180 km

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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

Lugano vs Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lugano is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,140 per month in Lugano and $4,323 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,279 there versus $1,945 in Lugano.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Lugano. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,202 per month in Lugano and $2,738 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 $3,426 in Lugano and $2,882 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Biel. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lugano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.