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: $2,268 in Lisbon versus $3,280 in Lugano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,348 in Lisbon versus $5,338 in Lugano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Lisbon versus $7,395 in Lugano.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 31% less than in Lugano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 64% above, Lugano 138% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.13

$34.68 CHF 28.32

-49.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$183 CHF 149

-64.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$20.25 CHF 16.54

-42.47%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.43 CHF 3.62

-26.41%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$5.17 CHF 4.22

-51.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$4.12 CHF 3.37

-59.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$9.76 CHF 7.97

-64.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$7.44 CHF 6.08

-51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$2.25 CHF 1.84

-47.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$3.83 CHF 3.13

-49.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$4.31 CHF 3.52

-63.81%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$7.27 CHF 5.93

-44.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.45

$26.33 CHF 21.50

-49.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$29.47 CHF 24.07

-71.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$40.29 CHF 32.90

-54.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$3.24 CHF 2.65

-28.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.74 CHF 1.42

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.62 CHF 2.14

-26.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$6.31 CHF 5.15

-58.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.82 CHF 1.49

4.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.16 CHF 1.76

-2.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$2.50 CHF 2.04

-42.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.13 CHF 0.92

-29.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$10.94 CHF 8.93

-35.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$12.69 CHF 10.36

-53.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$2.93 CHF 2.40

-53.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$4.09 CHF 3.34

-47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$3.30 CHF 2.70

-27.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.86

$78.7 CHF 64.2

-41.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$7.61 CHF 6.22

-44.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$5.84 CHF 4.77

-81.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$79.8 CHF 65.2

-78.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.22 CHF 1.82

1.35%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$35.3K CHF 28.8K

-2.25%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$39.6K CHF 32.3K

5.16%

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

$171 €147

$301 CHF 246

-43.18%

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

$19.01 €16.39

$23.04 CHF 18.81

-17.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.56

$49.76 CHF 40.63

-31.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.81

$97.9 CHF 80.0

-49.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.82

$37.51 CHF 30.63

-47.99%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$20.36 CHF 16.63

-50.39%

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

$699 €603

$1,228 CHF 1,003

-43.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$35.2K CHF 28.8K

-49.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$168 CHF 138

-37.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.36

$57.6 CHF 47.03

-16.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$199 CHF 162

-48.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$154 CHF 126

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,433

$1,714 CHF 1,400

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$1,309 CHF 1,069

-6.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,514

$3,562 CHF 2,909

-18.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,745

$2,597 CHF 2,121

-22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,010

$17.7K CHF 14.4K

-54.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,997

$11.3K CHF 9,251

-59.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$6,998 CHF 5,715

-76.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

2.37

59.49%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lugano: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,661 in Lisbon and $1,714 in Lugano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugano pays 332% 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: $64.0 in Lisbon vs $183 in Lugano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $605 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 45% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $3,280 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 332% lower in Lugano. 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: $1,661 in Lisbon versus $1,714 in Lugano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $699 in Lisbon versus $1,228 in Lugano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% higher in Lugano. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 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 45% less than in Lugano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.