Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lugano Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Lugano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $3,139 in Lugano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $5,358 in Lugano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $7,576 in Lugano.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 29% less than in Lugano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Lugano 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$30.78 CHF 24.31

-47.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$188 CHF 149

-65.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$18.76 CHF 14.82

-44.67%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$4.46 CHF 3.52

-37.89%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$4.86 CHF 3.84

-53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$4.17 CHF 3.30

-62.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$7.28 CHF 5.75

-52.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$7.36 CHF 5.81

-45.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$2.26 CHF 1.78

-52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$3.48 CHF 2.75

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$4.69 CHF 3.71

-62.90%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$6.95 CHF 5.49

-54.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$26.79 CHF 21.16

-49.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$37.13 CHF 29.33

-78.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$47.09 CHF 37.20

-65.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.21 CHF 2.54

-28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$1.95 CHF 1.54

-11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.62 CHF 2.07

-25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$7.62 CHF 6.02

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.34 CHF 1.85

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.59 CHF 2.04

-23.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.30 CHF 1.03

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$11.03 CHF 8.71

-37.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$13.21 CHF 10.44

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.63 CHF 2.08

-47.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$4.15 CHF 3.28

-30.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.25 CHF 2.57

-29.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

$89.1 CHF 70.4

-47.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$6.67 CHF 5.27

-38.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$4.57 CHF 3.61

-82.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$60.8 CHF 48.03

-69.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$2.13 CHF 1.68

-5.63%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$40.9K CHF 32.3K

-13.84%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$37.0K CHF 29.2K

4.12%

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

$145 €124

$201 CHF 159

-27.68%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$73.5 CHF 58.1

-71.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$55.1 CHF 43.56

-27.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

$107 CHF 84.6

-54.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

$61.4 CHF 48.52

-69.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$18.44 CHF 14.57

-50.87%

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

$607 €518

$1,242 CHF 981

-51.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$34.7K CHF 27.5K

-53.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$122 CHF 96.6

-14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$48.62 CHF 38.41

-15.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$131 CHF 104

-28.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$153 CHF 121

-22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

$1,693 CHF 1,337

-5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

$1,251 CHF 989

-1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

$2,828 CHF 2,234

7.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

$2,666 CHF 2,106

-22.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

$18.0K CHF 14.2K

-57.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

$13.1K CHF 10.3K

-67.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

$6,815 CHF 5,384

-76.76%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lugano: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $1,693 in Lugano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugano pays 330% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $188 in Lugano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $673 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 Lugano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Lugano differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($2,227 vs $3,139 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lugano earns 330% 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: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $1,693 in Lugano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $607 in Lisbon versus $1,242 in Lugano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 149% higher in Lugano. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,227 in Lisbon versus $3,139 in Lugano, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Lugano. 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 Lugano 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 41% less than in Lugano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.