Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aarau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Aarau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $2,999 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $4,746 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $6,493 in Aarau, rent included.

Lisbon is about 24% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Aarau sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Aarau by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$29.41 CHF 23.82

-44.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$108 CHF 87.1

-41.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$18.71 CHF 15.16

-44.84%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$6.23 CHF 5.05

-54.57%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$3.36 CHF 2.72

-31.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$4.96 CHF 4.01

-68.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$8.04 CHF 6.51

-57.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$7.33 CHF 5.93

-45.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$2.09 CHF 1.69

-47.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.21 CHF 2.60

-45.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.51 CHF 2.03

-29.88%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$6.79 CHF 5.50

-53.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$28.96 CHF 23.46

-54.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$36.04 CHF 29.19

-77.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$44.72 CHF 36.23

-65.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.79 CHF 2.26

-15.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.10 CHF 1.70

-18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.78 CHF 2.25

-27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$5.89 CHF 4.77

-58.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.26 CHF 1.83

-22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.09 CHF 1.69

-2.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.52 CHF 2.04

-23.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.45 CHF 1.17

-41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$10.39 CHF 8.42

-36.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$10.41 CHF 8.43

-46.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.32 CHF 1.88

-42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.18 CHF 1.76

36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$4.39 CHF 3.55

-48.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$148 CHF 120

-69.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$8.57 CHF 6.94

-50.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$5.52 CHF 4.47

-85.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$88.5 CHF 71.7

-79.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-6.73%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$41.2K CHF 33.4K

-15.84%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$42.9K CHF 34.7K

-8.68%

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

$148 €130

$250 CHF 203

-40.78%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$43.25 CHF 35.03

-52.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$58.2 CHF 47.13

-32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$67.4 CHF 54.6

-28.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$41.92 CHF 33.95

-55.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$23.86 CHF 19.32

-61.36%

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

$616 €540

$3,189 CHF 2,583

-80.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$25.2K CHF 20.4K

-34.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$92.1 CHF 74.6

11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$54.2 CHF 43.93

-23.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$109 CHF 88.3

-13.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$172 CHF 139

-28.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$1,298 CHF 1,051

25.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$1,058 CHF 857

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$2,490 CHF 2,017

24.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$2,075 CHF 1,680

-2.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$10.2K CHF 8,301

-23.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$12.1K CHF 9,762

-63.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$7,069 CHF 5,726

-77.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

2.5

52.40%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Aarau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,298 in Aarau. 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 340% higher in Aarau, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $108 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $634 – 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

Lisbon vs Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 31% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $4,498 in Aarau. 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.

Public transport costs about 224% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $3,189 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,291 in Lisbon and $2,999 in Aarau. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,291 versus $2,999 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Aarau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.