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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,254 per month in Zurich vs $3,131 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,409 per month in Zurich vs $4,741 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,563 per month in Zurich vs $6,352 in Biel, rent included.

Zurich costs about 36% more than Biel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zurich and Biel sit above the global median – Zurich by 217%, Biel by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.47

$24.74 CHF 19.50

25.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$113 CHF 88.8

32.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.83 CHF 16.42

$15.92 CHF 12.55

30.84%

Cappuccino

$6.72 CHF 5.29

$6.14 CHF 4.84

9.45%

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

$5.90 CHF 4.65

$5.23 CHF 4.13

12.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 CHF 4.22

$4.86 CHF 3.83

10.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.85 CHF 7.76

$7.77 CHF 6.13

26.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 CHF 6.95

$6.67 CHF 5.26

32.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$2.24 CHF 1.77

0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CHF 2.60

$3.72 CHF 2.93

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$4.27 CHF 3.37

-3.51%

Eggs

$7.19 CHF 5.67

$7.51 CHF 5.92

-4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.88 CHF 23.56

$30.22 CHF 23.83

-1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.59 CHF 26.48

$34.81 CHF 27.44

-3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.65 CHF 39.14

$50.9 CHF 40.09

-2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.18

$3.40 CHF 2.68

18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 CHF 2.29

$2.25 CHF 1.78

28.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 CHF 2.40

$2.96 CHF 2.33

3.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 CHF 4.13

$4.22 CHF 3.33

24.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$2.46 CHF 1.94

15.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$2.41 CHF 1.90

-1.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CHF 1.97

$2.56 CHF 2.02

-2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CHF 1.34

$0.93 CHF 0.73

82.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.96 CHF 8.64

$11.07 CHF 8.73

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 CHF 11.87

$14.13 CHF 11.14

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CHF 2.07

$2.29 CHF 1.81

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$3.33 CHF 2.62

-3.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 CHF 3.80

$4.55 CHF 3.59

5.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 83.7

$111 CHF 87.8

-4.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 5.95

$12.28 CHF 9.68

-38.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 CHF 3.27

$4.27 CHF 3.37

-2.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.1 CHF 70.2

$82.8 CHF 65.2

7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.81

$2.19 CHF 1.73

4.57%

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

$41.1K CHF 32.4K

$31.4K CHF 24.8K

30.87%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$28.1K CHF 22.2K

40.03%

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

$259 CHF 204

$246 CHF 194

5.21%

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

$35.51 CHF 28.00

$36.38 CHF 28.68

-2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CHF 46.08

$56.1 CHF 44.21

4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.8 CHF 70.0

$116 CHF 91.6

-23.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.84 CHF 38.50

$73.9 CHF 58.3

-33.89%

Cinema Ticket

$25.07 CHF 19.77

$21.90 CHF 17.27

14.47%

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

$3,470 CHF 2,736

$2,879 CHF 2,269

20.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K CHF 30.8K

$43.3K CHF 34.2K

-9.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 108

$139 CHF 110

-1.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 CHF 49.13

$45.94 CHF 36.22

35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 117

$130 CHF 102

13.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

$162 CHF 127

25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$1,294 CHF 1,020

107.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CHF 1,738

$1,140 CHF 899

93.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,902 CHF 3,865

$2,300 CHF 1,813

113.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,702 CHF 2,919

$1,858 CHF 1,465

99.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.1K CHF 20.6K

$10.3K CHF 8,124

153.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.0K

$8,227 CHF 6,487

100.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,722 CHF 6,876

$7,875 CHF 6,208

10.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

1.88

11.17%

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

Last update for Zurich: May 31, 2026

Last update for Biel: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,686 in Zurich versus $1,294 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 11% 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 $113 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $667 – 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 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 $6,382 per month in Zurich and $4,696 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 5% less in Biel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,470 per month in Zurich and $2,879 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 $4,254 in Zurich and $3,131 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.