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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A family of three spends $8,712 per month in Zurich vs $6,521 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 220%, Biel by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.84 CHF 24.93

$25.04 CHF 20.25

23.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 CHF 119

$113 CHF 91.3

30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.72 CHF 16.75

$16.08 CHF 13.00

28.86%

Cappuccino

$6.94 CHF 5.61

$6.32 CHF 5.11

9.81%

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

$6.04 CHF 4.88

$5.39 CHF 4.36

12.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.24

$5.08 CHF 4.11

3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 7.95

$7.53 CHF 6.09

30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.52 CHF 6.88

$6.86 CHF 5.54

24.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.76

$2.20 CHF 1.78

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$3.84 CHF 3.10

-15.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$4.07 CHF 3.29

1.23%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.87

$7.13 CHF 5.76

1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.00 CHF 24.26

$31.03 CHF 25.09

-3.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$34.06 CHF 27.54

$35.50 CHF 28.71

-4.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.2 CHF 40.56

$51.8 CHF 41.87

-3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CHF 3.31

$3.36 CHF 2.71

21.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$2.23 CHF 1.80

30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.44

$2.88 CHF 2.33

4.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$4.14 CHF 3.34

20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.50 CHF 2.02

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 CHF 1.89

$2.49 CHF 2.01

-6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.64 CHF 2.14

-3.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.39

$0.91 CHF 0.73

89.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.29 CHF 9.13

$10.95 CHF 8.86

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CHF 10.98

$13.27 CHF 10.73

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 CHF 2.12

$2.35 CHF 1.90

11.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$3.43 CHF 2.77

-5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.02 CHF 4.06

$4.34 CHF 3.51

15.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 CHF 86.6

$113 CHF 91.0

-4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 CHF 6.31

$12.23 CHF 9.89

-36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.31 CHF 3.48

$4.15 CHF 3.36

3.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$86.9 CHF 70.2

$83.5 CHF 67.5

4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$2.21 CHF 1.79

1.36%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.1K

$30.4K CHF 24.6K

30.48%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.2K

$28.2K CHF 22.8K

41.19%

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

$258 CHF 209

$248 CHF 200

4.19%

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

$36.31 CHF 29.36

$36.44 CHF 29.46

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 CHF 48.02

$56.1 CHF 45.38

5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 CHF 72.3

$117 CHF 94.7

-23.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 CHF 40.49

$74.6 CHF 60.3

-32.89%

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.06

$21.76 CHF 17.59

14.02%

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

$3,344 CHF 2,703

$2,865 CHF 2,316

16.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K CHF 31.6K

$43.3K CHF 35.0K

-9.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 111

$140 CHF 113

-1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 CHF 49.90

$45.38 CHF 36.69

36.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 119

$130 CHF 105

12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 162

$160 CHF 130

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 CHF 2,200

$1,293 CHF 1,045

110.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CHF 1,800

$1,127 CHF 911

97.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,054 CHF 4,086

$2,338 CHF 1,890

116.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,797 CHF 3,070

$1,842 CHF 1,489

106.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$27.3K CHF 22.0K

$9,781 CHF 7,908

178.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.3K

$7,907 CHF 6,393

107.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,287 CHF 6,700

$7,697 CHF 6,223

7.67%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Biel: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,721 in Zurich versus $1,293 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 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 $147 in Zurich versus $113 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $673 – 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 $6,406 per month in Zurich and $4,721 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 $3,344 per month in Zurich and $2,865 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 $4,270 in Zurich and $3,147 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.