Cost of Living Comparison Between Ascona and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ascona and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,337 in Ascona versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,100 in Ascona versus $3,289 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,864 in Ascona versus $4,369 in Lisbon.

Living in Ascona is roughly 51% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ascona 150% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.27 CHF 18.21

$15.71 €13.81

41.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$169 CHF 138

$62.9 €55.3

169.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.93 CHF 15.48

$10.53 €9.26

79.77%

Cappuccino

$4.43 CHF 3.63

$2.88 €2.54

53.82%

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

$6.20 CHF 5.07

$2.25 €1.98

175.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 CHF 4.40

$1.56 €1.37

244.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.64 CHF 8.70

$3.39 €2.98

213.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CHF 5.93

$3.90 €3.43

86.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.79

$1.08 €0.95

101.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 CHF 3.30

$1.73 €1.52

133.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.99

$1.76 €1.55

38.64%

Eggs

$5.35 CHF 4.37

$3.16 €2.78

69.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 CHF 10.26

$13.29 €11.68

-5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 CHF 13.33

$7.87 €6.92

107.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$44.76 CHF 36.60

$15.84 €13.92

182.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 CHF 3.03

$2.40 €2.11

54.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.76

$1.70 €1.50

27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 CHF 2.23

$2.03 €1.78

34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.21 CHF 5.90

$2.52 €2.21

186.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.88

$1.86 €1.63

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.06

$2.06 €1.81

21.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CHF 2.15

$2.00 €1.76

31.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CHF 1.34

$0.78 €0.69

110.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.39 CHF 8.49

$6.65 €5.84

56.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.69 CHF 15.28

$5.78 €5.08

223.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CHF 3.23

$1.38 €1.22

185.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CHF 3.47

$3.02 €2.65

40.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.19 CHF 2.61

$2.33 €2.05

36.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 79.1

$45.45 €39.96

112.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 CHF 6.86

$4.08 €3.58

105.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.66 CHF 4.63

$0.80 €0.70

607.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.1 CHF 71.3

$18.65 €16.39

367.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.00 €1.76

9.00%

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

$41.0K CHF 33.5K

$35.4K €31.1K

15.95%

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

$42.1K CHF 34.4K

$39.1K €34.3K

7.64%

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

$290 CHF 237

$150 €132

92.95%

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

$68.4 CHF 55.9

$20.55 €18.07

232.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 CHF 48.51

$39.45 €34.68

50.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 CHF 50.3

$48.06 €42.25

27.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 €16.44

Cinema Ticket

$23.32 CHF 19.07

$9.30 €8.18

150.75%

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

$4,042 CHF 3,305

$628 €552

543.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.8K CHF 33.4K

$16.5K €14.5K

148.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 CHF 88.4

$102 €89.3

6.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CHF 43.38

$41.55 €36.52

27.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 127

$92.5 €81.3

68.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 155

$123 €108

54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 CHF 1,315

$1,628 €1,431

-1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 CHF 1,206

$1,233 €1,084

19.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,847 CHF 2,328

$3,126 €2,748

-8.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 CHF 2,022

$2,058 €1,809

20.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,824

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,856

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 €1,425

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

3.81

-34.38%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ascona: July 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Ascona and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $169 in Ascona vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $533 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Ascona vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ascona and Lisbon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,337 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $5,006 in Ascona and $3,315 in Lisbon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Ascona versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 113% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $4,042 in Ascona versus $628 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Lisbon is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ascona and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.