Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zurich and Biel

For one person, living is cheaper in Biel: $2,826 a month against $4,451 in Zurich, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

217

Cost of Living Index in Zurich
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Zurich Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Biel
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Biel Living Index

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Zurich

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,451

/mo nomad

Biel

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,826

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zurich 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 Zurich and in Biel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,451 per month in Zurich vs $2,826 in Biel, rent included.

Zurich $4,451
Biel $2,826

A couple spends around $6,817 per month in Zurich vs $4,452 in Biel, rent included.

Zurich $6,817
Biel $4,452

A family of three spends $9,184 per month in Zurich vs $6,078 in Biel, rent included.

Zurich $9,184
Biel $6,078

Zurich costs about 57% more than Biel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zurich and Biel sit above the global median – Zurich by 230%, Biel by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$34.71 CHF 28.59

$30.08 CHF 24.77

15.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 119

$108 CHF 88.9

33.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.69 CHF 14.57

$18.28 CHF 15.06

-3.23%

Cappuccino

$6.91 CHF 5.69

$6.07 CHF 5.00

13.84%

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

$5.86 CHF 4.83

$5.17 CHF 4.26

13.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 CHF 4.24

$4.13 CHF 3.40

24.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.70 CHF 7.99

$7.77 CHF 6.40

24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.28 CHF 6.82

$4.91 CHF 4.04

68.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.81

$2.09 CHF 1.72

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 3.03

$3.30 CHF 2.72

11.52%

Eggs

$8.54 CHF 7.03

$7.19 CHF 5.92

18.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.22 CHF 22.42

$21.93 CHF 18.06

24.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.67 CHF 22.79

$27.12 CHF 22.34

2.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$61.7 CHF 50.8

$38.83 CHF 31.98

58.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.41

$3.06 CHF 2.52

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 CHF 2.21

$2.04 CHF 1.68

31.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 CHF 2.91

$2.46 CHF 2.02

43.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.67

$3.10 CHF 2.55

43.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.09

$1.47 CHF 1.21

72.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$1.81 CHF 1.49

22.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.07

$2.04 CHF 1.68

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.02

$1.05 CHF 0.87

18.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.62 CHF 8.75

$10.99 CHF 9.05

-3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 CHF 11.39

$14.90 CHF 12.28

-7.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CHF 2.19

$0.92 CHF 0.76

189.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 CHF 2.62

$1.77 CHF 1.46

79.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.39 CHF 4.44

$4.91 CHF 4.04

9.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 CHF 87.2

$93.3 CHF 76.9

13.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.54

$7.84 CHF 6.46

1.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.50 CHF 3.71

$4.53 CHF 3.73

-0.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.4 CHF 73.6

$83.0 CHF 68.4

7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.87

$2.22 CHF 1.83

2.70%

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

$39.0K CHF 32.1K

$41.7K CHF 34.4K

-6.53%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

$34.8K CHF 28.7K

13.48%

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

$276 CHF 227

$137 CHF 113

100.96%

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

$36.80 CHF 30.31

$35.74 CHF 29.43

2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CHF 46.10

$50.2 CHF 41.30

11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 CHF 75.2

$77.2 CHF 63.6

18.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.0 CHF 49.43

Cinema Ticket

$24.81 CHF 20.43

$21.92 CHF 18.05

13.18%

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

$3,505 CHF 2,887

$2,620 CHF 2,158

33.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.7K CHF 34.3K

$37.2K CHF 30.6K

12.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 115

$108 CHF 89.2

28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 CHF 48.04

$40.74 CHF 33.56

43.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 CHF 137

$136 CHF 112

22.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$260 CHF 214

$219 CHF 180

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,916 CHF 2,402

$1,240 CHF 1,022

135.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 CHF 1,901

$1,120 CHF 922

106.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,918 CHF 4,874

$2,275 CHF 1,874

160.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 CHF 3,370

$2,035 CHF 1,676

101.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$26.8K CHF 22.1K

$9,683 CHF 7,975

176.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.4K

$7,818 CHF 6,439

107.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,928 CHF 6,529

$5,516 CHF 4,543

43.72%

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: October 11, 2026

Last update for Biel: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Zurich

$2.3K 51.9%

Biel

$1.1K 39.6% 51.5% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Zurich

$671 15.1%

Biel

$538 19% 19.8% $133

Eating Out

Zurich

$523 11.7%

Biel

$454 16.1% 13.1% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zurich

$369 8.3%

Biel

$223 7.9% 39.5% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Zurich

$281 6.3%

Biel

$227 8% 19.2% $54

Getting Around

Zurich

$158 3.6%

Biel

$143 5.1% 9.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Zurich

$141 3.2%

Biel

$121 4.3% 14.1% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,916 in Zurich versus $1,240 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 $144 in Zurich versus $108 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $671 vs $538 – making Biel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Zurich

🇨🇭 Biel

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

Same time as Zurich

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

443,037

56,378

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Zurich vs Biel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zurich is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,676 per month in Zurich and $4,240 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 14% less in Biel. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,505 per month in Zurich and $2,620 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 $4,451 in Zurich and $2,826 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.