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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,080 per month in Geneva vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,404 per month in Geneva vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,728 per month in Geneva vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Geneva costs about 78% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Lisbon sit above the global median – Geneva by 205%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$36.40 CHF 29.43

$16.19 €14.17

124.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$63.3 €55.4

136.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 CHF 14.67

$10.32 €9.03

75.78%

Cappuccino

$5.76 CHF 4.66

$2.83 €2.48

103.53%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.43

$2.29 €2.00

139.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.86

$1.58 €1.38

201.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.05 CHF 8.12

$3.40 €2.98

195.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.76 CHF 7.08

$4.03 €3.52

117.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.09 €0.95

100.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 CHF 3.16

$1.75 €1.53

123.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.59

$1.76 €1.54

152.84%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.10

$3.17 €2.77

138.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.69

$13.19 €11.54

103.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.39 CHF 26.99

$7.97 €6.97

318.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.3 CHF 42.24

$15.53 €13.59

236.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.85

$2.37 €2.07

48.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.71 €1.49

46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.50

$2.01 €1.76

53.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.14

$2.43 €2.13

161.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CHF 2.13

$1.76 €1.54

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$2.03 €1.78

13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.07

$1.92 €1.68

33.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.07

$0.85 €0.74

56.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.81

$6.58 €5.76

65.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 CHF 9.76

$5.58 €4.88

116.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$1.33 €1.17

144.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CHF 3.04

$2.97 €2.60

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$2.28 €1.99

63.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 69.3

$45.79 €40.06

87.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 CHF 5.98

$4.23 €3.70

74.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.54 CHF 2.86

$0.81 €0.71

337.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 CHF 52.5

$18.44 €16.13

252.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$2.08 €1.82

5.29%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.1K

$34.7K €30.3K

14.67%

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

$50.2K CHF 40.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

28.25%

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

$261 CHF 211

$148 €130

76.24%

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

$48.55 CHF 39.25

$20.46 €17.90

137.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 CHF 52.0

$39.56 €34.61

62.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 CHF 64.7

$47.99 €41.99

66.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.29 CHF 30.15

$18.60 €16.27

100.48%

Cinema Ticket

$24.25 CHF 19.60

$9.22 €8.07

163.02%

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

$3,487 CHF 2,819

$616 €539

465.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.3K CHF 26.9K

$16.4K €14.4K

102.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 113

$103 €89.9

35.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.9 CHF 65.4

$41.74 €36.52

93.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$94.8 €82.9

74.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$215 CHF 174

$122 €107

76.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CHF 1,907

$1,633 €1,428

44.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 CHF 1,655

$1,232 €1,078

66.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,672 CHF 3,778

$3,098 €2,711

50.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 CHF 3,148

$2,031 €1,777

91.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.1K CHF 17.8K

$7,831 €6,851

181.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.2K

$4,389 €3,840

271.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,277 CHF 5,883

$1,607 €1,406

352.73%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,358 in Geneva versus $1,633 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 353% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $676 vs $267 – 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 78%, 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 $6,120 per month in Geneva and $3,437 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 153% 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 $63.0 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 $4,080 in Geneva and $2,291 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.