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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,962 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $4,722 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $6,482 in Aarau, rent included.

Lisbon is about 25% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Aarau sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Aarau by 121%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$30.10 CHF 23.73

-47.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$106 CHF 83.6

-38.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$19.44 CHF 15.33

-45.94%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$6.35 CHF 5.01

-54.80%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$3.34 CHF 2.63

-32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$4.83 CHF 3.80

-68.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$8.16 CHF 6.43

-57.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$7.32 CHF 5.77

-46.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.17 CHF 1.71

-47.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$3.34 CHF 2.63

-47.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.54 CHF 2.01

-30.71%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$7.00 CHF 5.52

-54.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$28.84 CHF 22.74

-53.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$36.39 CHF 28.69

-78.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$43.90 CHF 34.61

-63.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.80 CHF 2.20

-17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.13 CHF 1.68

-20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.81 CHF 2.22

-28.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$5.67 CHF 4.47

-56.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.05 CHF 1.62

-2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.51 CHF 1.98

-23.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.52 CHF 1.20

-48.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$10.41 CHF 8.21

-36.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$10.64 CHF 8.39

-46.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.23 CHF 1.76

-38.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.20 CHF 1.73

35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$4.19 CHF 3.30

-43.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$149 CHF 118

-69.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$8.66 CHF 6.83

-50.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$5.60 CHF 4.41

-85.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$87.4 CHF 68.9

-79.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-6.36%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-13.85%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$41.5K CHF 32.7K

-5.34%

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

$148 €127

$251 CHF 198

-41.00%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$42.50 CHF 33.51

-51.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$59.9 CHF 47.20

-33.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$66.3 CHF 52.3

-27.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$41.53 CHF 32.74

-54.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$22.96 CHF 18.10

-60.02%

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

$614 €528

$3,147 CHF 2,481

-80.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$25.0K CHF 19.7K

-35.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$92.7 CHF 73.1

12.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$53.1 CHF 41.85

-20.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$113 CHF 88.9

-16.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$172 CHF 136

-30.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,310 CHF 1,033

24.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,029 CHF 811

22.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,440 CHF 1,924

24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$2,082 CHF 1,641

-2.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$10.6K CHF 8,330

-26.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$12.6K CHF 9,910

-66.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$7,301 CHF 5,756

-78.04%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Aarau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,310 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 355% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $106 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $636 – 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 34% 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $4,443 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 228% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $3,147 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $2,962 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 $2,210 versus $2,962 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.