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Living in Biel/Bienne

The resident counts list 37,023 Swiss permanent residents and 331 non-permanent residents at the end of 2024. The population of Biel/Bienne, in Switzerland, was 56,896 at the end of 2024.

Higher unemployment than any other Swiss city that publishes it and cleaner air than 79% of Swiss cities that publish it.

Which Switzerland-wide rules apply when you move to Biel/Bienne?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in SwitzerlandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Biel/Bienne.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Biel/Bienne yet. Switzerland has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Biel/Bienne?

The unemployment rate is about 11.2 % (2014).

  • Unemployment rate: 11.19 % · Eurostat3
Unemployment across cities in SwitzerlandUnemployment in Biel/Bienne is 11.2%. Of 175 cities with data, 52 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Switzerland per band12 cities: 0% to under 1%120–151 cities: 1% to under 2%511–252 cities: 2% to under 3%522–338 cities: 3% to under 4%383–415 cities: 4% to under 5%154–52 cities: 5% to under 6%25–62 cities: 6% to under 7%26–71 city: 8% to under 9%18–91 city: 9% to under 10%19–101 city: 11% to under 12%111–12Biel/Bienne 11.2%

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)4,307 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch19Official
Unemployment rate11.19 %country median 2.3%31 Dec 2014Eurostat3Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Biel/Bienne. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

arbeit.swiss — Public employment service

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs / public employment service

Job SearchCareer Counselling
Register
Open the Switzerland service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Biel/Bienne. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport12 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights8Official
Nearest airportBRN3 Aug 2026OurAirports9Official
Distance to nearest airport31 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports9Official
Public transport monthly pass82 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Eurostat5Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Biel/Bienne. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Cantonal integration programmes — Newcomer Adaptation

SEM and cantons

For migrants, refugees.

German, French, ItalianIn Person
Open official information

fide language promotion system — State Language Course

State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)

For adult migrants.

German, French, ItalianIn Person, Online
Open official information
Open the full Switzerland section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Biel/Bienne.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Biel/Bienne?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7.7 µg/m³ (2021) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int2

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Biel/Bienne average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C-10°0°10°20°JFMAMJJASOND16°-5°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Biel/Bienne average monthly precipitation, mm04080120160969297104134134136142117122110113JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Biel/Bienne average monthly sunshine, hours055110165220981051401571641802021891501319385JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Biel/Bienne annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5257.7PM2.5104023.0NO₂µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in SwitzerlandAnnual PM2.5 in Biel/Bienne is 7.7 µg/m³. Of 42 cities with data, 11 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Switzerland per band1 city: 2 µg/m³ to under 3 µg/m³12–33 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³36–78 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³87–8Biel/Bienne 7.711 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³118–99 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³99–108 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³810–111 city: 16 µg/m³ to under 17 µg/m³116–171 city: 17 µg/m³ to under 18 µg/m³117–18

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean23 µg/m³31 Dec 2013Eurostat4Official
PM2.5 — annual mean7.7 µg/m³country median 8.831 Dec 2021cdn.who.int2Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 0.3 · Feb -0.1 · Mar 2.3 · Apr 5.8 · May 10.1 · Jun 13.7 · Jul 15.8 · Aug 15.6 · Sep 11.7 · Oct 8.4 · Nov 3.7 · Dec 1.2 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -4.7 · Feb -5.2 · Mar -3 · Apr -0.3 · May 3.5 · Jun 7 · Jul 8.9 · Aug 9.3 · Sep 5.9 · Oct 3 · Nov -1.3 · Dec -3.8 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI15Official
Average temperature by monthJan -2.3 · Feb -2.8 · Mar -0.5 · Apr 2.5 · May 6.4 · Jun 10 · Jul 12 · Aug 12.1 · Sep 8.4 · Oct 5.5 · Nov 1.1 · Dec -1.4 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI16Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 95.8 · Feb 91.8 · Mar 96.6 · Apr 103.7 · May 133.6 · Jun 133.5 · Jul 136.4 · Aug 142.4 · Sep 116.6 · Oct 122.2 · Nov 110.4 · Dec 112.7 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI17Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 98 · Feb 104.7 · Mar 140 · Apr 156.5 · May 163.6 · Jun 180 · Jul 202.2 · Aug 189.2 · Sep 150.1 · Oct 130.8 · Nov 93.4 · Dec 85.3 hours31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI18Official

Cities of a similar size in Switzerland

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Switzerland cities
Lugano63,629 residentsNeuchâtel45,309 residentsBellinzona45,305 residentsThun44,125 residentsKöniz43,508 residentsSt. Gallen78,863 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 21.2 km² in 2014.

How many people live in Biel/Bienne?

The published population was 56,896 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source13

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Biel/Bienne residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport65.1%Foreign residents34.9%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents401.4 cars per 1000 people31 Dec 2024Eurostat5Official
City area21.2 km²2014Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A4 (2013-2018), FJ=2014, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km².7Official
Foreign Nonpermanent Resident Population Total331 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 202410Official
Foreign-resident share31.6 %31 Dec 2025Eurostat6Official
Foreign residents19,873 people31 Dec 2024Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.11Official
Nonpermanent Resident Population Total331 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 202410Official
Population density2,684 people/km²31 Dec 2024Reproducible density from BFS STATPOP permanent population at 31.12.2024 divided by the exact official BFS municipality area denominator (2013-2018; FJ=2014; area observed_at=2014).7Official
Population56,896 people31 Dec 2024Switzerland official denominator source13Official
Swiss Nonpermanent Resident Population Total0 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 202410Official
Swiss Permanent Resident Population Total37,023 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 202410Official
Foreign residents over time10 published observations, 2016–2025
Foreign residents in Biel/Bienne by year, residents19,53021,18622,84224,4982016201820202022202524,155residents

Foreign residents rose 14.8% between 2016 and 2025, from 21,043 to 24,155.

International community in Biel/Bienne

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total57,462100.0%
In Switzerland34,65260.3%
Abroad22,81039.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12

Country of birth

Non-permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total264100.0%
Abroad26198.9%
In Switzerland31.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12

Citizenship

Permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Citizenship - total57,462100.0%
Switzerland37,21864.8%
Italy3,3795.9%
France1,7773.1%
Portugal1,5262.7%
Germany1,1121.9%
Spain1,0071.8%
Eritrea9701.7%
Ukraine8191.4%
Türkiye8161.4%
Show 143 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Kosovo7841.4%
North Macedonia6351.1%
Serbia3800.7%
Afghanistan3780.7%
Tunisia2960.5%
Brazil2880.5%
Syria2790.5%
Romania2600.5%
Cameroon2410.4%
Congo (Kinshasa)2350.4%
Poland2270.4%
Algeria2250.4%
Morocco2080.4%
Sri Lanka2040.4%
Bosnia and Herzegovina1970.3%
Somalia1790.3%
Croatia1750.3%
Austria1570.3%
Iraq1420.2%
Ethiopia1360.2%
Thailand1350.2%
Iran1320.2%
Belgium1300.2%
Bulgaria1160.2%
Dominican Republic1070.2%
China1020.2%
Angola1010.2%
Côte d'Ivoire950.2%
Russia880.2%
Vietnam860.1%
Greece840.1%
Hungary740.1%
Netherlands720.1%
Chile700.1%
Togo660.1%
United Kingdom620.1%
India590.1%
Slovakia570.1%
United States560.1%
Albania540.1%
Guinea540.1%
Czechia490.1%
Cambodia480.1%
Slovenia460.1%
Colombia460.1%
Philippines460.1%
Nigeria450.1%
Pakistan420.1%
Sudan410.1%
Sweden400.1%
Senegal400.1%
Libya390.1%
Ireland380.1%
Cuba380.1%
Lebanon380.1%
Ghana370.1%
Montenegro360.1%
Congo (Brazzaville)340.1%
Canada340.1%
No indication260.0%
Kenya260.0%
Mexico260.0%
Japan250.0%
Yemen230.0%
Egypt220.0%
Mongolia220.0%
Gambia180.0%
Ecuador180.0%
Georgia180.0%
Denmark170.0%
Peru170.0%
Stateless160.0%
Venezuela160.0%
Argentina150.0%
Finland140.0%
Latvia140.0%
Moldova140.0%
Burkina Faso140.0%
Bangladesh140.0%
Luxembourg120.0%
Burundi120.0%
South Korea120.0%
Lithuania110.0%
Mauritius110.0%
Indonesia100.0%
Benin90.0%
South Africa90.0%
Nepal90.0%
Australia90.0%
Haiti80.0%
Singapore80.0%
Armenia80.0%
Norway70.0%
Mali70.0%
Niger70.0%
Malaysia70.0%
Kazakhstan70.0%
Belarus60.0%
Gabon60.0%
Israel60.0%
Tanzania50.0%
Uganda50.0%
Bolivia50.0%
Jamaica50.0%
Nicaragua50.0%
Azerbaijan50.0%
Estonia40.0%
Djibouti40.0%
Liberia40.0%
Mauritania40.0%
Sierra Leone40.0%
Central African Republic40.0%
Honduras40.0%
Laos40.0%
Iceland30.0%
Liechtenstein30.0%
Equatorial Guinea30.0%
Guinea-Bissau30.0%
Madagascar30.0%
Panama30.0%
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)30.0%
Uzbekistan30.0%
Cyprus20.0%
Cabo Verde20.0%
Zambia20.0%
São Tomé and Príncipe20.0%
Costa Rica20.0%
El Salvador20.0%
Bhutan20.0%
Myanmar20.0%
Jordan20.0%
Saudi Arabia20.0%
Palestine20.0%
Kyrgyzstan20.0%
Malta10.0%
Mozambique10.0%
Rwanda10.0%
Chad10.0%
Paraguay10.0%
Trinidad and Tobago10.0%
Uruguay10.0%
Saint Kitts and Nevis10.0%
Bahrain10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source12

Is Biel/Bienne a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker59%strong on work, weak on safety · range 49–69%
Skilled employee61%strong on work, weak on safety · range 51–71%
Student64%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 52–76%
Family48%strong on family, weak on safety · range 36–60%
Retirement57%strong on cost, weak on admin · range 45–69%
Foreign residents19,873 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.
Population56,896 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Switzerland official denominator source
Median gross salary (regional)4,307 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch
Unemployment rate11.19 %31 Dec 2014Official source · Eurostat
NO₂ — annual mean23 µg/m³31 Dec 2013Official source · Eurostat
PM2.5 — annual mean7.7 µg/m³31 Dec 2021Official source · cdn.who.int
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median age41.2 years31 Dec 2024BFS — STATPOP 2024 Medialter (Median Alter)1Official · kanton

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Biel/Bienne under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Biel/Bienne?

The published population was 56,896 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Biel/Bienne?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7.7 µg/m³ (2021) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int.

What is the unemployment rate in Biel/Bienne?

The unemployment rate is about 11.2 % (2014). Source: Eurostat.

What is the typical salary around Biel/Bienne?

The median gross salary is 4,307 EUR/month. Source: www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch.

How many foreign residents live in Biel/Bienne?

19,873 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024..

Is Biel/Bienne a good place to live?

Biel/Bienne may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Place of birth - total live in Biel/Bienne?

The official country of birth distribution records 57,462 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2025-12-31. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Biel/Bienne, Switzerland: salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/biel/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_biel-bienne-switzerland-salary-jobs_bd13aa2f3bcb,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Biel/Bienne, Switzerland: salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/biel/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Biel/Bienne, Switzerland: salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/biel/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. BFS — STATPOP 2024 Medialter (Median Alter) BFS · bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-06-29
  2. cdn.who.int cdn.who.int · checked 2026-08-26
  3. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  4. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  5. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  6. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  7. Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A4 (2013-2018), FJ=2014, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km². disseminate.stats.swiss · checked 2026-07-15
  8. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  9. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  10. Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 2024 pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-18
Show 9 more sources
  1. Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024. pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2024-12-31
  2. Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-30
  3. Switzerland official denominator source pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-14
  4. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  5. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  6. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  7. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  8. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  9. www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-27

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.