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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,731 per month in Zurich vs $2,936 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,187 per month in Zurich vs $4,535 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,642 per month in Zurich vs $6,133 in Biel, rent included.

Zurich costs about 61% more than Biel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zurich and Biel sit above the global median – Zurich by 244%, Biel by 114%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.35 CHF 30.37

$31.43 CHF 25.55

18.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 121

$109 CHF 88.9

35.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.46 CHF 15.01

$18.03 CHF 14.66

2.38%

Cappuccino

$7.03 CHF 5.72

$6.06 CHF 4.93

16.01%

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

$5.88 CHF 4.78

$5.09 CHF 4.14

15.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.39

$4.14 CHF 3.37

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.98 CHF 8.11

$8.11 CHF 6.59

23.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.85 CHF 7.19

$4.82 CHF 3.92

83.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$2.13 CHF 1.73

1.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 CHF 3.30

$4.10 CHF 3.33

-0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 CHF 3.23

$3.39 CHF 2.76

17.40%

Eggs

$8.69 CHF 7.06

$7.17 CHF 5.83

21.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.65 CHF 22.48

$22.86 CHF 18.59

20.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.77 CHF 22.58

$29.03 CHF 23.60

-4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.1 CHF 49.70

$41.06 CHF 33.38

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.32

$3.14 CHF 2.55

29.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.38

$2.18 CHF 1.77

33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.92

$2.59 CHF 2.11

38.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 CHF 4.02

$3.28 CHF 2.67

50.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CHF 2.13

$1.50 CHF 1.22

74.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.91 CHF 1.55

20.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.11

$2.08 CHF 1.70

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.05

$1.08 CHF 0.88

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.92 CHF 8.88

$11.18 CHF 9.09

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 CHF 11.04

$15.54 CHF 12.63

-12.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CHF 2.35

$0.90 CHF 0.73

221.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CHF 2.55

$1.89 CHF 1.54

66.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.57 CHF 4.53

$4.84 CHF 3.93

15.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 87.1

$96.4 CHF 78.4

11.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 CHF 6.61

$7.82 CHF 6.36

3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.82 CHF 3.92

$4.61 CHF 3.75

4.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$92.7 CHF 75.3

$85.2 CHF 69.3

8.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 CHF 1.89

$2.19 CHF 1.78

5.94%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.7K

$44.3K CHF 36.0K

-9.08%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.4K

$35.9K CHF 29.2K

10.87%

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

$290 CHF 235

$140 CHF 114

106.94%

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

$39.27 CHF 31.93

$36.96 CHF 30.05

6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 CHF 46.78

$50.2 CHF 40.82

14.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.0 CHF 74.0

$76.8 CHF 62.4

18.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.6 CHF 51.7

Cinema Ticket

$25.00 CHF 20.33

$22.52 CHF 18.31

11.01%

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

$3,759 CHF 3,056

$2,719 CHF 2,211

38.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.8K CHF 34.8K

$38.1K CHF 31.0K

12.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$143 CHF 116

$112 CHF 91.0

27.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 CHF 49.18

$49.77 CHF 40.47

21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$167 CHF 136

$144 CHF 117

16.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$263 CHF 214

$225 CHF 183

16.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,126 CHF 2,542

$1,297 CHF 1,055

140.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 CHF 2,035

$1,165 CHF 947

114.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,322 CHF 5,140

$2,339 CHF 1,902

170.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,166 CHF 3,387

$2,112 CHF 1,717

97.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$28.2K CHF 23.0K

$9,764 CHF 7,939

189.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$8,084 CHF 6,572

102.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,301 CHF 6,749

$5,764 CHF 4,686

44.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

1.68

23.21%

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

Last update for Zurich: September 1, 2026

Last update for Biel: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,126 in Zurich versus $1,297 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 44% 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 $149 in Zurich versus $109 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $681 vs $566 – 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

Zurich vs Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 61%, 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 $7,096 per month in Zurich and $4,404 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 11% less in Biel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,759 per month in Zurich and $2,719 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 $4,731 in Zurich and $2,936 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, Zurich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.