Biel/Bienne 
BE
Biel/Bienne is a commune in the canton of Bern with 57,462 residents (FSO), 35.2 % of them foreign nationals. On a gross salary of CHF 100,000 a single person pays CHF 16,658 in income tax here, rank 1,678 of 2,110 communes (FTA).
Authorities, contacts and news for this commune will follow.
Taxes
Federal, cantonal and communal, without church tax, official FTA tax calculator. Rank 1 = lowest tax.
Commune tax multiplier
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 | 163 |
FTA; comparable within the canton only. All multipliers in the canton of Bern
Work it out yourself
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Typically Biel/Bienne: specialities, brands, sights
What makes Biel/Bienne special, from official registers and gathered with pleasure.
Protected specialities (PDO/PGI)
Biel/Bienne lies in the area of origin of these protected specialities:
- Emmentaler cheese
- Berner Zungenwurst meat speciality
Well-known brands
- Home of OmegaWatches · Seat: Biel/Bienne
- Home of SwatchWatches · Seat: Biel/Bienne
Registered seat according to the commercial register (Zefix). The brands are only named; they have no affiliation with the Swiss Living Index.
Good to know
- 15 cultural properties of national importance, for example: Alte Krone, Atelier Robert, Ehemaliger Landsitz Rockhall, Hauptbahnhof, Haus Jordi-Kocher, Katholische Pfarrkirche Sta. Maria Immaculata …
Sources: FOAG (register of PDO/PGI), FOC and FOEN (UNESCO World Heritage, parks), FOCP (inventory of cultural property), commercial register (Zefix), Culinary Heritage of Switzerland.
Charging stations near you
Free public charge points within 3 km, live from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. Your location is used for this one lookup only and is never stored.
Commune finances
Show table
| Year | Revenue m | Expenditure m | Result m | per resident CHF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 457.4 | 461.5 | −4.2 | −73 |
| 2023 | 450.5 | 465.4 | −14.9 | −267 |
| 2022 | 439.8 | 449.3 | −9.5 | −172 |
| 2021 | 427.6 | 464.1 | −36.6 | −663 |
| 2020 | 430.7 | 458.2 | −27.5 | −498 |
| 2019 | 444.8 | 441.3 | 3.5 | 63 |
| 2018 | 442.8 | 444.0 | −1.3 | −23 |
| 2017 | 403.3 | 415.2 | −11.9 | −218 |
| 2016 | 403.1 | 421.7 | −18.6 | −341 |
| 2015 | 408.2 | 446.4 | −38.1 | −704 |
Result = revenue minus expenditure of the income statement. Source: FFA financial statistics.
The commune in figures
Births and deaths
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 642 | 626 | 622 | 653 | 593 | 593 | 552 | 489 | 502 | 524 |
| Deaths | 555 | 593 | 552 | 591 | 625 | 523 | 578 | 594 | 594 | 538 |
FSO, demographic balance · Births and deaths in the canton of Bern
Immigration and emigration
In 2025, 1,163 people moved to Biel/Bienne from abroad, 999 of them foreign nationals; 710 moved abroad. Net international migration: +453.
Arrivals and departures by world region 2025
| Origin | arrived | left |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 164 | 205 |
| EU | 650 | 408 |
| EFTA | 1 | 1 |
| rest of Europe | 163 | 46 |
| Africa | 89 | 19 |
| North America | 9 | 4 |
| Latin America and Caribbean | 26 | 19 |
| Asia | 61 | 8 |
For individual communes the FSO publishes nationality by world region only. Source: FSO, migration statistics of the permanent resident population.
Naturalisations
Origin of people naturalised in 2025: EU 152rest of Europe 59Africa 92North America 3Latin America 15Asia 43stateless 2
FSO
The canton compared
| Figure | Value | Rank | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canton tax (example) | CHF 11,666 | 24 / 26 | 2026 |
| Average rent | CHF 1,319 | 9 / 26 | 2024 |
| Health premium | CHF 645 | 19 / 26 | 2027 |
| Electricity price | 27.95 Rp./kWh | 16 / 26 | 2027 |
| Vacant homes | 1.1 % | 9 / 26 | 2025 |
| Unemployment | 2.2 % | 12 / 26 | 2026 |
Nearby communes
Frequently asked questions
How many people live in Biel/Bienne?
57,462 (FSO).
How high are taxes in Biel/Bienne?
On a gross salary of CHF 100,000 a single person pays CHF 16,658 in federal, cantonal and communal tax (FTA).
How much tax does a family pay in Biel/Bienne?
A married couple with two children and a gross salary of CHF 100,000 pays CHF 8,136 in federal, cantonal and communal tax (FTA).
What share of residents are foreign nationals in Biel/Bienne?
35.2 % of residents do not hold Swiss citizenship (FSO).
Sources: FSO, FTA, FFA, SECO, FOPH · www.biel-bienne.ch · JSON · Coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Archive
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