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Location profile for

Biel/Bienne

Bern · 56'896 inhabitants
…
estimated total cost per year
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TaxesHealth Ins.PTCarNatureEducationSafetyFamilies2nd Home
Quality of lifeCosts & commute
BielCanton BECH Ø
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Location profile

Key location factors for Biel/Bienne at a glance.

Costs

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Tax burden
20.7 %
↑ Above CH median
Effective tax burden — roughly CHF 31,009 on an income of CHF 150,000. Rank 96 of 334 municipalities in Bern.
CH median 19.8 %
8 % 16.5 % 25 %
Single, without church tax · FTA 2025
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Health insurance
CHF 531
↑ Expensive region
Average monthly premium for adults 2027. CHF 531 / month.
CH median ca. CHF 450
CHF 300 CHF 450 CHF 600
ChildCHF 137 Young adultCHF 369
FOPH Priminfo 2027 · average premium across all deductibles and models

Property prices

Rent (apartment)
Average
More expensive than 61 % of all municipalities in Switzerland and 80 % in BE.
Typical range CHF 18–28 per m² / month · median
Buy (apartment)
Average
More expensive than 52 % of all municipalities in Switzerland and 74 % in BE.
Typical range CHF 5'500–8'000 per m² · median
Buy (house)
Average
Cheaper than 53 % of all municipalities in Switzerland, more expensive than 70 % in BE.
Typical range CHF 5'500–8'000 per m² · median
House prices vary considerably depending on plot, buildability and location within the municipality.

Source: third-party market data · July 2026 · asking rents from listings

Vacant homes
1.4 %
Balanced
1.4 % of all homes are vacant — 443 units, as of 1 June 2025. Below 1 % the market counts as tight, from 2 % as loose.
0 %1.5 %3 %
Source: FSO, vacant dwelling count

Commutes

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Public Transport
GrenchenSO19 min
SolothurnSO27 min
NeuchâtelNE42 min
Bern BE 45 min
Lausanne VD 77 min
Basel BS 84 min
NPVM 2023 · ARE
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Car commute
GrenchenSO15 min
SolothurnSO22 min
NeuchâtelNE30 min
Bern BE 40 min
Lausanne VD 75 min
Basel BS 69 min
Normal traffic · NPVM 2023

Quality of life

Land use
45.4 %
45.4 % forest, 47.5 % built-up area, 6.1 % farmland. The nearest forest edge is a median 100 metres away.
Source: FSO, land use statistics
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Safety
129.4 ‰
Average
129.4 offences per 1,000 residents (Swiss Criminal Code, 2025). Rated against municipalities of the same size class (over 50,000, median 102.6) — not the national average.
Median of size class
Excludes narcotics and immigration law (enforcement-driven offences) · FSO Police Crime Statistics 2025
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Education
35 %
≈ Average
Tertiary level · CH Ø 35 %
Tertiary level
35 %
Upper secondary
39 %
Compulsory
26 %
FSO Structural Survey 2023
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Demographics
56'896 inhabitants
Children
17.4 %
Seniors 65+
18.4 %
Foreign nat.
34.9 %
Growth 5yr
+2.3 %
STATPOP 2024 · FSO
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Second homes
13.3 %
✓ No restriction
Share of second homes in housing stock (32,545 units total). Below the 20% threshold — no second-home restrictions.
20 % threshold
0 % 30 % 60 %
Primary residence share 86.67 % · ARE 2025
Building structure
Single-family house
30 %
Building with 2 units
8 %
Multi-family house
56 %
2005 Median build year 27 % of which pre-1980 6 % Heat pump (from 2015) 3.2 Avg. rooms 82 m² Avg. floor area

Biel/Bienne has an urban character: 56 % of residential buildings are multi-family houses, 30 % single-family homes.

The median build year 2005 is above the Swiss average (1991). 27 % of buildings date from before 1980.

Heat pumps are recorded in 6 % of updated GWR entries (from 2015).

FSO Register of Buildings and Dwellings (GWR) 2026

Is Biel/Bienne right for you? Compare all 2,110 municipalities

Taxes, health insurance, housing costs and commute times — for every Swiss municipality.

What speaks for Biel/Bienne

What to watch in Biel/Bienne

Frequently asked questions

Wie teuer ist Wohneigentum in Biel/Bienne?

Der Quadratmeterpreis für Eigentumswohnungen liegt bei CHF 6'783, was teurer ist als in 52 % aller Schweizer Gemeinden. Die Mietpreise liegen bei CHF 22.8 pro m2 und Monat, teurer als in 60 % aller Gemeinden.

Wie ist die Situation auf dem Mietwohnungsmarkt?

Die Leerwohnungsziffer lag 2025 bei 1.37 %, was als ausgeglichener Markt eingestuft wird. Das deutet auf ein Verhältnis von Angebot und Nachfrage hin, das weder sehr angespannt noch sehr locker ist.

Wie hoch sind die Steuern und Krankenkassenprämien in Biel/Bienne?

Für ein Bruttoeinkommen von CHF 150'000 (alleinstehend, ohne Kirchensteuer) liegt die Steuerbelastung bei 20.7 % beziehungsweise CHF 31'009, teurer als in 69 % aller Gemeinden. Die Krankenkassenprämie für Erwachsene im Standardmodell beträgt CHF 508 pro Monat, teurer als in 82 % aller Gemeinden.

Wie naturnah ist die Umgebung von Biel/Bienne?

Im Umkreis der Gemeinde gibt es mehr unversiegelte Fläche als bei 72 % aller Schweizer Gemeinden, zudem liegt Biel/Bienne an einem Grosssee. Innerhalb der Gemeinde selbst sind 45 % Wald, 47 % Siedlungsfläche und 6 % Landwirtschaftsfläche.

Wer lebt in Biel/Bienne?

Die Gemeinde zählt 56'896 Einwohner, mit einem Bevölkerungswachstum von 2.3 % über fünf Jahre. Der Anteil der unter 15-Jährigen liegt bei 17.4 %, der Anteil der ab 65-Jährigen bei 18.4 %.

What do these prices mean?

Rents in the range of CHF 20-25/m²/mo. serve as a reference value for market-rate listings in Biel/Bienne. Individual listings may vary significantly depending on location, condition, and floor.

Prices & location in Biel/Bienne — quick answers

What does a rental apartment in Biel/Bienne cost per month?

Rental prices in Biel/Bienne are currently typically in the range CHF 20-25 per m² per month (range depending on location, condition and floor). A 70 m² apartment thus comes to roughly CHF 1,450–1,700 per month — the effective market range starts lower for small apartments and rises disproportionately for large ones.

What does an owner-occupied apartment in Biel/Bienne cost per m²?

The m² price for owner-occupied apartments in Biel/Bienne is typically in the range CHF 6'400-7'200 per m². The actual range depends heavily on location, year built, finish standard and views.

What does a single-family house in Biel/Bienne cost?

The m² price for houses in Biel/Bienne is typically in the range CHF 5'800-7'500 per m² (defensive range ±12 %). House prices vary considerably depending on plot size, buildability and micro-location within the municipality — a direct m² comparison serves only as an initial orientation.

How high is the tax burden in Biel/Bienne?

The effective tax burden in Biel/Bienne is 20.7 % on income — for a gross income of CHF 150,000 (single, without church tax) this amounts to roughly CHF 31,009 per year. The Swiss median is 19.8 %; the burden in Biel/Bienne is above. Source: Swiss Federal Tax Administration tax burden statistics 2025.

Are there second-home restrictions in Biel/Bienne?

No — in Biel/Bienne the share of second homes is 13.3 %, below the 20 % threshold. The second-home law does not apply here, and new second homes are generally permitted. Source: Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), 2025.

How can I estimate a property's value in Biel/Bienne?

A first reference point is the local price per square metre: in Biel/Bienne the median is around CHF 6'783 per m² for condominiums. A realistic estimate also factors in location, year of construction, condition, fit-out quality and view. How the price compares with other municipalities is shown by the Immoskop municipality comparison: all 2’110 municipalities by housing costs, taxes and health insurance premiums — as guidance, not a substitute for an official or bank-verified valuation.

Property prices nearby

Municipalities nearby, ordered by driving time — purchase price difference to Biel/Bienne colour-coded.

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