Cost of Living Comparison Between Buchs and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Buchs and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,379 in Buchs versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,057 in Buchs versus $3,289 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,734 in Buchs versus $4,369 in Lisbon.

Living in Buchs is roughly 53% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buchs 153% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.39 CHF 23.93

$15.71 €13.76

87.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$131 CHF 106

$62.9 €55.1

107.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 CHF 9.68

$10.53 €9.23

12.92%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$2.88 €2.53

23.96%

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

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$2.25 €1.97

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 CHF 1.70

$1.56 €1.36

33.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 CHF 3.66

$3.39 €2.97

32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CHF 4.26

$3.90 €3.41

34.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 CHF 1.42

$1.08 €0.95

62.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CHF 2.47

$1.73 €1.51

75.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$1.76 €1.54

139.77%

Eggs

$5.07 CHF 4.12

$3.16 €2.77

60.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.56 CHF 24.88

$13.29 €11.64

129.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 CHF 12.11

$7.87 €6.89

88.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.6 CHF 41.17

$15.84 €13.88

219.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.10

$2.40 €2.11

58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.66

$1.70 €1.49

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.32

$2.03 €1.78

40.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 CHF 5.26

$2.52 €2.21

156.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.86 €1.63

28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$2.06 €1.81

16.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CHF 2.18

$2.00 €1.75

34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.04

$0.78 €0.68

64.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.15

$6.65 €5.82

69.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 CHF 10.48

$5.78 €5.06

122.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.38 €1.21

73.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.69

$3.02 €2.64

9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 CHF 2.04

$2.33 €2.04

7.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 CHF 70.9

$45.45 €39.82

91.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.46

$4.08 €3.57

94.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 CHF 2.89

$0.80 €0.70

343.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.5 CHF 72.8

$18.65 €16.34

379.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.73

$2.00 €1.75

6.00%

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

$31.3K CHF 25.5K

$35.4K €31.0K

-11.66%

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

$42.9K CHF 35.0K

$39.1K €34.2K

9.89%

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

$183 CHF 149

$150 €132

21.88%

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

$43.01 CHF 35.02

$20.55 €18.01

109.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CHF 45.32

$39.45 €34.56

41.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$146 CHF 119

$48.06 €42.11

204.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.33 CHF 14.11

$18.70 €16.38

-7.33%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 CHF 12.01

$9.30 €8.15

58.60%

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

$2,961 CHF 2,411

$628 €550

371.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.9K CHF 26.8K

$16.5K €14.4K

99.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 115

$102 €89.0

38.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.1 CHF 62.7

$41.55 €36.40

85.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$92.5 €81.0

44.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 129

$123 €107

29.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,850 CHF 1,506

$1,628 €1,426

13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CHF 1,293

$1,233 €1,080

28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,744 CHF 2,234

$3,126 €2,739

-12.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,032

$2,058 €1,803

21.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,762 €6,801

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,386 €3,843

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,815 CHF 7,177

$1,621 €1,420

443.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-47.51%

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

Last update for Buchs: July 21, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,850 in Buchs and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 444% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $131 in Buchs vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 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

Buchs vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buchs and Lisbon differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($3,379 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 444% higher in Buchs, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,850 in Buchs versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $131 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,379 per month in Buchs versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Buchs 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 53% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.