Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lucerne Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lucerne

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $3,926 in Lucerne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $5,859 in Lucerne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $7,792 in Lucerne.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 42% less than in Lucerne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 68% above, Lucerne 192% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$37.47 CHF 29.75

-57.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$143 CHF 114

-55.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$15.94 CHF 12.66

-34.88%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$6.52 CHF 5.18

-57.21%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$5.38 CHF 4.27

-56.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$4.41 CHF 3.50

-64.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$8.65 CHF 6.87

-60.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$7.56 CHF 6.00

-48.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.30 CHF 1.83

-53.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$3.76 CHF 2.98

-52.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$4.22 CHF 3.35

-59.48%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$7.71 CHF 6.12

-59.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$30.81 CHF 24.46

-55.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$35.88 CHF 28.48

-77.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$50.3 CHF 39.96

-69.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.82 CHF 3.03

-40.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$2.21 CHF 1.76

-25.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.97 CHF 2.36

-34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$6.43 CHF 5.11

-60.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-20.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$2.57 CHF 2.04

-23.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$1.22 CHF 0.97

-31.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$11.02 CHF 8.75

-38.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$13.96 CHF 11.08

-59.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.50 CHF 1.99

-44.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$3.41 CHF 2.71

-11.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$4.89 CHF 3.88

-53.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$97.5 CHF 77.4

-53.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$8.36 CHF 6.63

-48.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$4.47 CHF 3.55

-80.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$87.8 CHF 69.7

-79.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-9.55%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$40.5K CHF 32.2K

-13.52%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$42.3K CHF 33.6K

-6.54%

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

$146 €126

$251 CHF 199

-41.78%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$74.8 CHF 59.4

-72.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$55.7 CHF 44.22

-30.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$92.6 CHF 73.5

-47.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$45.29 CHF 35.96

-58.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$22.54 CHF 17.90

-57.76%

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

$608 €524

$2,924 CHF 2,321

-79.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$42.3K CHF 33.6K

-60.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$137 CHF 109

-24.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$78.3 CHF 62.1

-46.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$134 CHF 106

-31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$163 CHF 130

-26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$2,031 CHF 1,613

-20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$1,772 CHF 1,407

-28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$2,924 CHF 2,321

4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$2,933 CHF 2,328

-31.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$22.5K CHF 17.9K

-66.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

-68.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$6,917 CHF 5,491

-77.09%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Lucerne: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $2,031 in Lucerne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lucerne pays 336% 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 $143 in Lucerne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $692 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 Lucerne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Lucerne differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $3,926 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lucerne earns 336% less. 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $2,031 in Lucerne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $2,924 in Lucerne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 157% higher in Lucerne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $3,926 in Lucerne, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Lucerne. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Lisbon and Lucerne 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 74% less than in Lucerne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.