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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,177 per month in Geneva vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,255 per month in Geneva vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,333 per month in Geneva vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Geneva costs about 80% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Geneva and Lisbon sit above the global median – Geneva by 204%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.77 CHF 25.02

$17.30 €14.93

77.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$133 CHF 108

$63.3 €54.6

110.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.66 CHF 15.17

$11.39 €9.83

63.83%

Cappuccino

$6.56 CHF 5.33

$3.19 €2.75

105.64%

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

$4.98 CHF 4.05

$2.45 €2.11

103.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CHF 3.46

$1.76 €1.52

141.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.63 CHF 7.83

$3.59 €3.10

168.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 CHF 8.10

$3.39 €2.93

194.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.24 €1.07

92.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 CHF 2.84

$1.98 €1.71

76.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CHF 2.71

$1.52 €1.31

119.08%

Eggs

$8.08 CHF 6.57

$4.04 €3.49

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.34 CHF 20.60

$13.54 €11.68

87.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.32 CHF 23.84

$8.39 €7.24

249.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$42.61 CHF 34.64

$18.25 €15.75

133.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CHF 2.82

$2.29 €1.98

51.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 CHF 1.42

$1.74 €1.50

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 CHF 2.28

$1.86 €1.60

50.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$2.63 €2.27

80.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CHF 1.31

$1.92 €1.65

-16.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$2.09 €1.81

4.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.73

$1.44 €1.24

47.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.41

$0.84 €0.73

105.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CHF 9.06

$6.78 €5.85

64.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.17 CHF 9.90

$5.71 €4.93

113.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 CHF 2.78

$1.38 €1.19

148.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CHF 2.85

$2.22 €1.91

58.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.64 CHF 2.96

$2.40 €2.07

51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.7 CHF 74.6

$46.78 €40.37

96.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 CHF 6.09

$4.17 €3.60

79.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.06 CHF 3.30

$1.14 €0.98

256.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.7 CHF 53.4

$17.68 €15.26

271.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 CHF 1.92

$2.32 €2.01

1.72%

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

$39.5K CHF 32.1K

$35.3K €30.5K

11.72%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.9K

$41.4K €35.8K

-2.42%

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

$288 CHF 234

$170 €147

68.98%

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

$38.71 CHF 31.47

$19.34 €16.69

100.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 CHF 46.33

$33.64 €29.03

69.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 CHF 63.9

$48.10 €41.50

63.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.32 CHF 36.84

$19.90 €17.17

127.74%

Cinema Ticket

$24.59 CHF 19.99

$9.92 €8.56

147.88%

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

$2,455 CHF 1,996

$717 €619

242.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K CHF 29.2K

$17.5K €15.1K

105.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$105 €90.4

32.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.4 CHF 65.3

$46.95 €40.51

71.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 138

$103 €89.2

64.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 CHF 156

$124 €107

54.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,828 CHF 2,299

$1,677 €1,447

68.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 CHF 1,736

$1,271 €1,097

68.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,724 CHF 3,840

$2,985 €2,575

58.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,738 CHF 3,039

$1,992 €1,719

87.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.5K CHF 18.3K

$7,826 €6,753

187.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.2K

$4,658 €4,019

247.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,375 CHF 5,996

$1,583 €1,366

365.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

3.79

-47.76%

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

Last update for Geneva: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,828 in Geneva versus $1,677 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 366% 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 $133 in Geneva versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $605 vs $283 – 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 80%, 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 $6,266 per month in Geneva and $3,474 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 114% 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 $133 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 $4,177 in Geneva and $2,316 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.