Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Lausanne and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,824 in Lausanne versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,908 in Lausanne versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,993 in Lausanne versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Lausanne is roughly 65% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lausanne 178% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.49 CHF 25.61

$17.30 €14.93

82.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 CHF 96.7

$63.3 €54.6

87.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.27 CHF 15.67

$11.39 €9.83

69.18%

Cappuccino

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$3.19 €2.75

98.12%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.30

$2.45 €2.11

115.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 CHF 3.32

$1.76 €1.52

132.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.47 CHF 8.51

$3.59 €3.10

191.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.93 CHF 8.07

$3.39 €2.93

192.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CHF 1.86

$1.24 €1.07

83.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 CHF 3.23

$1.98 €1.71

100.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.66

$1.52 €1.31

115.79%

Eggs

$7.55 CHF 6.14

$4.04 €3.49

86.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.73 CHF 20.10

$13.54 €11.68

82.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.61 CHF 23.26

$8.39 €7.24

241.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.20 CHF 32.68

$18.25 €15.75

120.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.99

$2.29 €1.98

60.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.74 €1.50

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 CHF 2.06

$1.86 €1.60

36.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$2.63 €2.27

73.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$1.92 €1.65

-5.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CHF 1.61

$2.09 €1.81

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 CHF 1.65

$1.44 €1.24

40.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CHF 1.46

$0.84 €0.73

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 9.10

$6.78 €5.85

65.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.68 CHF 12.75

$5.71 €4.93

174.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CHF 2.19

$1.38 €1.19

94.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CHF 2.62

$2.22 €1.91

45.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 CHF 3.70

$2.40 €2.07

89.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.5 CHF 79.2

$46.78 €40.37

108.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 CHF 6.36

$4.17 €3.60

87.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.85

$1.14 €0.98

315.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.4 CHF 71.9

$17.68 €15.26

400.00%

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)

$44.6K CHF 36.3K

$35.3K €30.5K

26.35%

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

$40.1K CHF 32.6K

$41.4K €35.8K

-3.29%

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

$305 CHF 248

$170 €147

78.96%

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

$38.30 CHF 31.14

$19.34 €16.69

98.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CHF 41.91

$33.64 €29.03

53.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CHF 60.3

$48.10 €41.50

54.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 CHF 41.27

$19.90 €17.17

155.08%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$9.92 €8.56

151.71%

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

$3,045 CHF 2,476

$717 €619

324.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K CHF 31.1K

$17.5K €15.1K

118.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$105 €90.4

37.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.9 CHF 63.4

$46.95 €40.51

65.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 CHF 114

$103 €89.2

35.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$224 CHF 182

$124 €107

80.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 CHF 1,901

$1,677 €1,447

39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,485

$1,271 €1,097

43.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,456 CHF 3,623

$2,985 €2,575

49.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 CHF 2,696

$1,992 €1,719

66.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 15.0K

$7,826 €6,753

136.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.4K CHF 11.7K

$4,658 €4,019

209.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,938 CHF 5,640

$1,583 €1,366

338.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

3.79

-48.55%

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

Last update for Lausanne: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,339 in Lausanne and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lausanne pays 338% 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: $119 in Lausanne vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $598 vs $283 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

Lausanne vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lausanne and Lisbon differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($3,824 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 338% higher in Lausanne, 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: $2,339 in Lausanne versus $1,677 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 $119 in Lausanne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,824 per month in Lausanne versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 65% 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, Lausanne 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 65% less than in Lausanne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.