Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Geneva and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,060 per month in Geneva vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,383 per month in Geneva vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,707 per month in Geneva vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Geneva costs about 84% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Lisbon sit above the global median – Geneva by 203%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$37.68 CHF 29.74

$15.91 €13.70

136.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 118

$64.8 €55.8

131.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.64 CHF 14.71

$10.51 €9.05

77.35%

Cappuccino

$5.97 CHF 4.71

$2.87 €2.47

108.01%

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

$5.49 CHF 4.33

$2.24 €1.93

145.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 CHF 3.88

$1.50 €1.29

228.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.13 CHF 7.99

$3.49 €3.01

190.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 6.74

$3.88 €3.34

120.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.14 €0.98

98.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.88 CHF 3.06

$1.75 €1.51

121.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CHF 3.50

$1.76 €1.51

152.27%

Eggs

$7.62 CHF 6.01

$3.22 €2.77

136.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.53 CHF 20.94

$13.49 €11.61

96.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.26 CHF 26.25

$7.91 €6.81

320.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.6 CHF 41.49

$15.87 €13.67

231.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.76

$2.31 €1.99

51.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.70 €1.46

48.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CHF 2.42

$2.01 €1.73

52.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.26 CHF 4.94

$2.46 €2.12

154.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CHF 2.10

$1.84 €1.59

44.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$2.00 €1.72

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.03

$1.93 €1.66

33.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.07

$0.79 €0.68

72.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.60

$6.61 €5.69

64.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.84 CHF 10.14

$5.72 €4.93

124.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$1.37 €1.18

137.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 CHF 2.87

$2.97 €2.56

22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.60 CHF 2.84

$2.37 €2.04

51.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CHF 67.5

$45.56 €39.22

87.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 CHF 5.95

$4.29 €3.69

75.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$0.82 €0.70

343.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 CHF 51.7

$18.30 €15.76

258.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$2.06 €1.78

8.25%

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

$41.0K CHF 32.4K

$34.3K €29.5K

19.67%

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

$48.7K CHF 38.5K

$39.3K €33.8K

24.05%

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

$262 CHF 207

$148 €127

77.14%

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

$47.82 CHF 37.74

$20.52 €17.67

133.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CHF 49.92

$39.61 €34.10

59.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 CHF 62.8

$47.85 €41.19

66.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.97 CHF 28.39

$18.92 €16.29

90.12%

Cinema Ticket

$24.48 CHF 19.32

$9.18 €7.91

166.67%

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

$3,514 CHF 2,773

$614 €529

472.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.7K CHF 25.8K

$16.0K €13.8K

103.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$105 €90.1

31.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 CHF 64.5

$42.06 €36.21

94.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 128

$94.0 €80.9

72.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$214 CHF 169

$120 €103

79.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 CHF 1,838

$1,628 €1,401

43.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CHF 1,617

$1,255 €1,081

63.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,631 CHF 3,655

$3,030 €2,609

52.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,922 CHF 3,095

$2,020 €1,739

94.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K CHF 18.2K

$7,800 €6,715

196.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 12.9K

$4,273 €3,678

282.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,858 CHF 6,202

$1,603 €1,380

390.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

3.81

-35.43%

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

Last update for Geneva: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,329 in Geneva versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 390% higher in Geneva, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $150 in Geneva versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $678 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Geneva vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Geneva is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,090 per month in Geneva and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lisbon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 152% more in Geneva, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $150 in Geneva and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,060 in Geneva and $2,210 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lisbon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Geneva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.