Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bellinzona Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bellinzona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Lisbon vs $3,873 in Bellinzona, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,245 per month in Lisbon vs $5,899 in Bellinzona, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Lisbon vs $7,924 in Bellinzona, rent included.

Lisbon is about 43% cheaper than Bellinzona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Bellinzona sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Bellinzona by 191%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$31.02 CHF 24.97

-49.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$110 CHF 88.5

-43.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$18.46 CHF 14.86

-42.90%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$4.46 CHF 3.59

-37.89%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$4.89 CHF 3.93

-53.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$4.15 CHF 3.34

-62.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$7.54 CHF 6.07

-52.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$6.25 CHF 5.03

-36.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.21 CHF 1.78

-51.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$4.05 CHF 3.26

-56.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$5.27 CHF 4.24

-66.41%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$8.04 CHF 6.47

-61.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$29.29 CHF 23.58

-54.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$36.09 CHF 29.05

-77.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$47.80 CHF 38.47

-66.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.77 CHF 3.03

-39.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.06 CHF 1.66

-20.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$2.77 CHF 2.23

-28.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$7.63 CHF 6.14

-67.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.27 CHF 1.82

-22.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.41 CHF 1.94

-18.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.59 CHF 2.08

-23.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.61 CHF 1.30

-50.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$10.71 CHF 8.62

-38.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$18.85 CHF 15.17

-69.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$3.94 CHF 3.17

-66.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$4.26 CHF 3.43

-29.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$6.08 CHF 4.90

-61.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$99.7 CHF 80.2

-54.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$6.86 CHF 5.52

-37.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$4.56 CHF 3.67

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$61.1 CHF 49.20

-69.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.16 CHF 1.74

-4.17%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$39.8K CHF 32.0K

-11.36%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$37.2K CHF 30.0K

3.67%

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

$151 €132

$296 CHF 238

-48.99%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$67.1 CHF 54.0

-68.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$60.0 CHF 48.28

-34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$109 CHF 88.1

-55.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

$63.9 CHF 51.4

-70.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$23.15 CHF 18.64

-60.95%

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

$610 €532

$1,855 CHF 1,493

-67.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$34.9K CHF 28.1K

-53.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$125 CHF 101

-19.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$50.2 CHF 40.37

-19.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$154 CHF 124

-39.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$188 CHF 152

-36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$1,838 CHF 1,480

-12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$1,734 CHF 1,396

-28.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$2,820 CHF 2,270

7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$3,050 CHF 2,455

-32.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$16.7K CHF 13.4K

-52.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$12.2K CHF 9,806

-62.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$6,377 CHF 5,133

-74.47%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Bellinzona: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lisbon versus $1,838 in Bellinzona. 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 292% higher in Bellinzona, 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 $62.0 in Lisbon versus $110 in Bellinzona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $715 – 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 Bellinzona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon, $3,873 in Bellinzona – roughly 75% apart. Bellinzona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,325 per month in Lisbon and $5,810 in Bellinzona. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,217 in Lisbon and $3,873 in Bellinzona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 117% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,217, than in Bellinzona at $3,873. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bellinzona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,217 in Lisbon to $3,873 in Bellinzona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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