Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bern Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bern

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $3,439 in Bern.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $5,235 in Bern.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $7,032 in Bern.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 33% less than in Bern, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Bern 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$28.66 CHF 23.65

-38.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$125 CHF 103

-49.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$16.17 CHF 13.34

-28.39%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$6.76 CHF 5.58

-54.14%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$6.21 CHF 5.13

-59.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$7.00 CHF 5.77

-75.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$9.41 CHF 7.76

-63.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$7.74 CHF 6.39

-55.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.17 CHF 1.79

-47.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$3.00 CHF 2.47

-36.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$3.34 CHF 2.76

-55.09%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$8.20 CHF 6.77

-51.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$24.78 CHF 20.45

-46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$29.55 CHF 24.39

-72.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$38.82 CHF 32.04

-53.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.89 CHF 3.21

-39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.02 CHF 1.67

-13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$2.66 CHF 2.19

-30.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$4.78 CHF 3.94

-46.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$1.67 CHF 1.38

10.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.99 CHF 1.64

5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$2.30 CHF 1.90

-35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$1.37 CHF 1.13

-40.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$11.59 CHF 9.57

-38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$12.37 CHF 10.21

-52.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-40.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.00 CHF 2.48

-29.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$6.34 CHF 5.23

-62.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$99.0 CHF 81.7

-52.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$8.09 CHF 6.68

-49.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$4.51 CHF 3.73

-74.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$112 CHF 92.2

-84.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.37 CHF 1.95

-2.53%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$42.9K CHF 35.4K

-20.43%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$39.5K CHF 32.6K

4.82%

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

$169 €147

$278 CHF 230

-39.41%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$28.31 CHF 23.37

-31.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$56.3 CHF 46.44

-40.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$88.6 CHF 73.2

-44.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$47.89 CHF 39.52

-59.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$24.29 CHF 20.04

-60.60%

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

$696 €607

$3,230 CHF 2,666

-78.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$30.6K CHF 25.2K

-43.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$142 CHF 118

-26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$62.0 CHF 51.1

-22.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$161 CHF 133

-37.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$197 CHF 163

-36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$1,869 CHF 1,543

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$1,452 CHF 1,199

-14.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$3,600 CHF 2,972

-17.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$2,536 CHF 2,093

-19.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$18.7K CHF 15.4K

-58.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$15.4K CHF 12.7K

-70.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$6,680 CHF 5,514

-75.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.46

53.66%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bern: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $1,869 in Bern. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bern pays 309% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $125 in Bern for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $579 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

Lisbon vs Bern: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in Bern. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lisbon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 309% lower in Bern. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $1,869 in Bern. 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 $125 in Bern. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $3,439 in Bern – a 50% 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 work as nomad bases, but Lisbon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,296 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lisbon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bern 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 50% less than in Bern. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.