Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mendrisio Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Mendrisio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $2,925 in Mendrisio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $4,848 in Mendrisio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $6,771 in Mendrisio.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 22% less than in Mendrisio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 71% above, Mendrisio 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$30.74 CHF 24.85

-47.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$186 CHF 151

-66.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$18.80 CHF 15.20

-45.11%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$4.34 CHF 3.51

-34.79%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$4.29 CHF 3.47

-46.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$3.66 CHF 2.96

-56.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$6.11 CHF 4.94

-44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$6.05 CHF 4.89

-33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.26 CHF 1.02

-13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.59 CHF 2.90

-51.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$4.92 CHF 3.98

-64.23%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.65 CHF 2.95

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$26.96 CHF 21.80

-51.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$15.25 CHF 12.33

-47.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$47.08 CHF 38.07

-67.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.16 CHF 2.56

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.03 CHF 1.64

-15.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.48 CHF 2.01

-18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$5.52 CHF 4.46

-55.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.19 CHF 1.77

-19.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.33 CHF 1.88

-12.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$2.59 CHF 2.09

-25.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.24 CHF 1.00

-31.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$11.05 CHF 8.94

-40.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$12.64 CHF 10.22

-55.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.63 CHF 2.12

-49.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$4.20 CHF 3.40

-29.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.26 CHF 2.63

-30.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$97.0 CHF 78.4

-52.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$6.68 CHF 5.40

-36.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$4.33 CHF 3.50

-81.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$61.4 CHF 49.66

-69.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-6.31%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$40.6K CHF 32.8K

-14.59%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$37.0K CHF 29.9K

5.89%

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

$148 €130

$203 CHF 164

-27.15%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$29.66 CHF 23.98

-31.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$49.56 CHF 40.07

-20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$75.0 CHF 60.7

-36.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$18.57 CHF 15.01

-50.35%

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

$616 €539

$1,255 CHF 1,015

-50.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

-52.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$123 CHF 99.5

-16.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$47.26 CHF 38.21

-11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$131 CHF 106

-27.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$153 CHF 123

-20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$1,409 CHF 1,139

15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$1,234 CHF 998

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$2,856 CHF 2,309

8.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$2,475 CHF 2,001

-17.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$6,924 CHF 5,598

-76.79%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mendrisio: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $1,409 in Mendrisio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mendrisio pays 331% 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 $186 in Mendrisio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $530 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 Mendrisio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Mendrisio differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $2,925 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 331% lower in Mendrisio. 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $1,409 in Mendrisio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $1,255 in Mendrisio. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 98% higher in Mendrisio. 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 Mendrisio 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 28% less than in Mendrisio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.