Municipality profile
Taxes & Cost of Living in Bern
Bern · Canton of BE
Here is how expensive life in Bern is compared to all ~2,100 municipalities in Switzerland — income tax, health insurance premium and electricity in one honest annual figure, calculated with the same engine as our address-precise location reports.
Total-cost rank 2,065 of 2,098 in Switzerland for a couple without children — about CHF 30,185 per year for tax, health insurance and electricity.
Total annual cost by profile
Tax + health insurance + electricity per year for four standard households, with the rank among all Swiss municipalities and within the canton.
| Household | Total cost/year | Rank CH | Rank canton |
|---|---|---|---|
Single · CHF 80,000 Tax CHF 11,672 · health insurance 8,184 · electricity 1,497 | CHF 21,353 | 2,026 / 2,098 | 314 / 334 |
Couple, no children · CHF 100,000 Tax CHF 12,320 · health insurance 16,368 · electricity 1,497 | CHF 30,185 | 2,065 / 2,098 | 331 / 334 |
Family, 1 income · CHF 100,000 Tax CHF 7,980 · health insurance 19,584 · electricity 1,497 | CHF 29,061 | 2,071 / 2,098 | 332 / 334 |
Retired couple · CHF 80,000 Tax CHF 10,264 · health insurance 16,368 · electricity 1,497 | CHF 28,129 | 2,026 / 2,098 | 331 / 334 |
Tax split: municipality versus canton
How income tax is split across the levels of government — the municipal share is the lever that moving home shifts.
- Federal
- CHF 1,705
- Canton
- CHF 9,669
- Municipality
- CHF 5,005
- Church
- CHF 0
- Poll tax
- CHF 0
FTA reference profile: single earner with CHF 100,000 gross income, in CHF per year.
Health insurance premium
CHF 682 per month
Premium region 1
Adults, standard model with deductible 300, median across all insurers (2026).
Electricity price
33.26 cent./kWh — CHF 1,497 per year
Standard household H4 (4,500 kWh), median of local grid operators, ElCom 2026.
Vacancy rate
0.43% vacant dwellings
FSO vacant-dwelling count, reference date 1 June 2025.
Population & demographics
137,995 residents
+6.1% over ten years (2014 → 2024)
13% children · 17% aged 65+
Source: FSO (2017).
Cost map of the Canton of BE
Each municipality is coloured by its total annual cost; Bern is highlighted.
Cheaper neighbouring municipalities are clickable on the map.
To the interactive cost-of-living map →Cheaper neighbouring municipalities
Nearest municipalities with lower total cost for a couple without children (CHF 100,000):
Frequently asked questions about Bern
- How high are the taxes in Bern?
- A single earner with CHF 100,000 gross income pays an income tax of about CHF 16,379 per year in Bern (federal, cantonal, municipal and church combined, FTA 2025).
- What does living in Bern cost?
- For a couple without children, tax, health insurance and electricity add up to about CHF 30,185 per year in Bern — rank 2,065 of 2,098 among all Swiss municipalities.
- Are there cheaper municipalities near Bern?
- Yes: around Bern some municipalities have a lower total cost for the same profile — the neighbour comparison on this page shows them with the annual saving.
The exact truth for your address in Bern
Municipality values are an approximation. The Deep Report calculates address-precise — with deductions, wealth, deductible choice, commute time and over 60 location factors.
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