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: $3,393 in Buchs versus $2,243 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,946 in Buchs versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,499 in Buchs versus $4,387 in Lisbon.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buchs 153% above, Lisbon 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.66 CHF 23.25

$15.73 €13.42

88.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 84.5

$63.2 €53.9

70.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 CHF 9.02

$10.32 €8.80

11.43%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CHF 2.80

$2.81 €2.40

27.05%

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

$2.47 CHF 1.94

$2.33 €1.99

6.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CHF 1.63

$1.51 €1.29

37.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 CHF 3.68

$3.37 €2.87

39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CHF 4.10

$3.91 €3.34

33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 CHF 1.37

$1.08 €0.92

61.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CHF 2.46

$1.75 €1.49

79.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 CHF 3.19

$1.75 €1.50

132.57%

Eggs

$4.89 CHF 3.83

$3.10 €2.64

57.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.23 CHF 23.70

$13.28 €11.33

127.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 CHF 11.62

$7.85 €6.70

88.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.60

$16.05 €13.69

222.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 2.93

$2.39 €2.04

56.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.62

$1.72 €1.47

20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.33

$1.97 €1.68

51.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 CHF 4.87

$2.55 €2.17

143.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.87

$1.79 €1.53

32.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.92

$1.97 €1.68

24.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.01

$1.96 €1.67

30.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 0.97

$0.84 €0.71

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 CHF 8.79

$6.82 €5.82

64.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.79

$5.85 €4.99

135.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$1.38 €1.18

76.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CHF 2.62

$2.92 €2.49

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CHF 1.91

$2.29 €1.95

6.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CHF 68.5

$46.88 €39.99

86.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 CHF 6.42

$4.12 €3.51

98.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.64

$0.81 €0.69

316.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 69.4

$18.94 €16.16

367.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.70

$2.09 €1.78

3.83%

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

$30.8K CHF 24.2K

$35.1K €30.0K

-12.23%

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

$42.3K CHF 33.1K

$39.7K €33.9K

6.42%

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

$185 CHF 145

$150 €128

23.78%

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

$42.34 CHF 33.20

$20.49 €17.48

106.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 44.31

$39.15 €33.40

44.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$147 CHF 116

$49.65 €42.35

196.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 CHF 13.63

$18.47 €15.76

-5.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 CHF 11.75

$9.20 €7.84

62.93%

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

$2,868 CHF 2,249

$624 €533

359.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.5K

$15.9K €13.6K

112.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 108

$102 €87.2

34.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.5 CHF 59.2

$40.88 €34.87

84.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 105

$95.7 €81.6

40.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 127

$121 €103

33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 CHF 1,442

$1,653 €1,410

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CHF 1,252

$1,233 €1,051

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 CHF 2,165

$3,043 €2,596

-9.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 CHF 1,903

$2,059 €1,756

17.88%

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)

$9,225 CHF 7,233

$1,566 €1,336

488.97%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,839 in Buchs and $1,653 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 489% 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: $108 in Buchs vs $63 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $562 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

Buchs vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buchs and Lisbon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,393 vs $2,243 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buchs pays 489% more on average, 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: $1,839 in Buchs versus $1,653 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 $108 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,393 per month in Buchs versus $2,243 in Lisbon – a 51% 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 51% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.