Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and St. Moritz

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $3,626 in St. Moritz, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
St. Moritz
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,626
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in St. Moritz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in St. Moritz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $3,626 in St. Moritz.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • St. Moritz $3,626

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $6,508 in St. Moritz.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • St. Moritz $6,508

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $9,390 in St. Moritz.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • St. Moritz $9,390

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 39% less than in St. Moritz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, St. Moritz 166% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$34.20 CHF 28.37
-51.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$143 CHF 119
-56.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$14.40 CHF 11.94
-21.11%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$5.90 CHF 4.90
-49.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$5.54 CHF 4.60
-58.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$4.60 CHF 3.82
-62.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$9.90 CHF 8.21
-65.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$6.03 CHF 5.00
-45.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.81 CHF 1.50
-35.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$3.96 CHF 3.29
-51.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$3.60 CHF 2.99
-58.06%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$7.67 CHF 6.36
-47.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$27.09 CHF 22.47
-52.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$28.89 CHF 23.97
-73.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$60.5 CHF 50.2
-70.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$4.09 CHF 3.39
-43.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$2.75 CHF 2.28
-37.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$3.60 CHF 2.99
-48.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$4.59 CHF 3.81
-43.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$2.55 CHF 2.11
-28.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$2.34 CHF 1.94
-15.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$2.49 CHF 2.06
-40.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$1.25 CHF 1.03
-42.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$10.77 CHF 8.94
-38.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$13.92 CHF 11.54
-59.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$2.88 CHF 2.39
-52.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$3.21 CHF 2.66
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$3.92 CHF 3.26
-40.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$92.6 CHF 76.8
-51.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$8.08 CHF 6.70
-52.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$4.54 CHF 3.77
-76.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$87.8 CHF 72.8
-81.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$2.14 CHF 1.77
2.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$38.6K CHF 32.0K
-11.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$39.6K CHF 32.9K
-2.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$96.8 CHF 80.3
66.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$39.12 CHF 32.45
-52.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$54.8 CHF 45.42
-40.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$73.0 CHF 60.5
-38.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$18.96 CHF 15.73
-49.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$3,402 CHF 2,823
-80.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$41.2K CHF 34.2K
-57.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$140 CHF 116
-27.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$55.1 CHF 45.69
-19.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$161 CHF 133
-38.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$249 CHF 206
-50.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$1,794 CHF 1,488
-10.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$1,753 CHF 1,454
-32.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$5,403 CHF 4,482
-47.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$4,730 CHF 3,924
-57.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$12.3K CHF 10.2K
-62.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
St. Moritz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$4,889 CHF 4,056
-67.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
1.8
113.89%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for St. Moritz: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
St. Moritz
$1.8K 47.3% $563
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
St. Moritz
$670 146% $398
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
St. Moritz
$490 102% $247
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
St. Moritz
$191 10.2% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
St. Moritz
$272 63.9% $106
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
St. Moritz
$111 74% $47
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
St. Moritz
$139 120% $76

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $1,794 in St. Moritz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Moritz pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $62 in Lisbon vs $143 in St. Moritz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $670 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇨🇭 St. Moritz
🕒 Local time
20:26 8:26 PM
21:26 9:26 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
5,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.924 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon St. Moritz 1,770 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • St. Moritz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 St. Moritz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in St. Moritz?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $3,626 in St. Moritz, so Lisbon is about 39% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Lisbon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in St. Moritz?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $1,794 in St. Moritz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and St. Moritz?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $3,402 in St. Moritz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 146% higher in St. Moritz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,210 in Lisbon versus $3,626 in St. Moritz, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in St. Moritz. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and St. Moritz?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or St. Moritz?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in St. Moritz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?