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: $3,253 in Ascona versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,047 in Ascona versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,841 in Ascona versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

Living in Ascona is roughly 45% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ascona 143% above, Lisbon 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.62 CHF 17.73

$15.73 €13.42

43.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$167 CHF 131

$63.2 €53.9

164.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.90 CHF 14.82

$10.32 €8.80

83.14%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CHF 3.33

$2.81 €2.40

51.25%

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

$5.92 CHF 4.64

$2.33 €1.99

154.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.23

$1.51 €1.29

257.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.66 CHF 8.36

$3.37 €2.87

216.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 CHF 5.65

$3.91 €3.34

84.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.71

$1.08 €0.92

101.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 CHF 3.16

$1.75 €1.49

130.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.87

$1.75 €1.50

36.57%

Eggs

$5.51 CHF 4.32

$3.10 €2.64

77.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 CHF 9.80

$13.28 €11.33

-5.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.15 CHF 12.66

$7.85 €6.70

105.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.46 CHF 34.07

$16.05 €13.69

170.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 2.98

$2.39 €2.04

59.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 CHF 1.61

$1.72 €1.47

19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.25

$1.97 €1.68

45.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.05 CHF 5.53

$2.55 €2.17

176.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$1.79 €1.53

30.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.93

$1.97 €1.68

24.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 1.99

$1.96 €1.67

29.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CHF 1.27

$0.84 €0.71

94.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 CHF 8.09

$6.82 €5.82

51.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.85 CHF 14.78

$5.85 €4.99

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.10 CHF 3.22

$1.38 €1.18

197.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 CHF 3.48

$2.92 €2.49

51.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 CHF 2.57

$2.29 €1.95

43.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 CHF 77.5

$46.88 €39.99

110.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 CHF 6.80

$4.12 €3.51

110.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.44 CHF 4.27

$0.81 €0.69

571.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.0 CHF 68.2

$18.94 €16.16

359.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.72

$2.09 €1.78

4.78%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.0K

$35.1K €30.0K

16.26%

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

$41.5K CHF 32.5K

$39.7K €33.9K

4.46%

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

$292 CHF 229

$150 €128

95.40%

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

$66.8 CHF 52.4

$20.49 €17.48

226.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 CHF 47.16

$39.15 €33.40

53.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.6 CHF 49.05

$49.65 €42.35

26.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.47 €15.76

Cinema Ticket

$23.02 CHF 18.05

$9.20 €7.84

150.22%

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

$4,078 CHF 3,197

$624 €533

552.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.3K CHF 31.6K

$15.9K €13.6K

153.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 85.8

$102 €87.2

7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 CHF 42.86

$40.88 €34.87

33.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 123

$95.7 €81.6

64.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 148

$121 €103

55.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 CHF 1,256

$1,653 €1,410

-3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 CHF 1,140

$1,233 €1,051

17.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,836 CHF 2,224

$3,043 €2,596

-6.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 CHF 1,916

$2,059 €1,756

18.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,879 €6,720

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,303 €3,671

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,566 €1,336

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Ascona and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $167 in Ascona vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $270 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 45% in total monthly costs ($3,253 vs $2,243 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,879 in Ascona and $3,365 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: $1,602 in Ascona versus $1,653 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 111% less than in Ascona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $4,078 in Ascona versus $624 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 45% less than in Ascona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.