Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zurich Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Zurich

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $4,284 in Zurich.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $6,563 in Zurich.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $8,842 in Zurich.

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 48% less than in Zurich, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 66% above, Zurich 221% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.77

$31.36 CHF 25.24

-49.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €54.5

$150 CHF 121

-58.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.19

$20.71 CHF 16.67

-49.11%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.41

$6.60 CHF 5.31

-58.03%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$5.93 CHF 4.77

-61.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.35

$5.35 CHF 4.30

-71.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.09

$10.02 CHF 8.06

-64.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.47

$8.37 CHF 6.74

-52.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$2.19 CHF 1.76

-50.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.54

$3.25 CHF 2.62

-45.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$4.08 CHF 3.29

-56.62%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.72

$7.61 CHF 6.12

-59.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.64

$29.25 CHF 23.54

-54.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.98

$34.07 CHF 27.43

-76.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.89

$50.3 CHF 40.50

-68.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$4.07 CHF 3.27

-43.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.90 CHF 2.34

-43.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$3.08 CHF 2.48

-35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$5.18 CHF 4.17

-52.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$2.82 CHF 2.27

-37.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.27 CHF 1.82

-13.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.57 CHF 2.07

-23.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$1.66 CHF 1.34

-51.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.70

$11.30 CHF 9.09

-42.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €5.01

$14.06 CHF 11.31

-59.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$2.70 CHF 2.17

-51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.60

$3.33 CHF 2.68

-10.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.04

$4.95 CHF 3.98

-52.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €40.01

$109 CHF 87.5

-57.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.71

$7.85 CHF 6.32

-45.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.74

$4.26 CHF 3.43

-80.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.45

$89.4 CHF 71.9

-78.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.31 CHF 1.86

-10.39%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$40.9K CHF 32.9K

-13.89%

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

$38.6K €33.7K

$40.2K CHF 32.3K

-3.84%

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

$151 €132

$253 CHF 204

-40.23%

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

$20.91 €18.24

$35.91 CHF 28.90

-41.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.50

$59.5 CHF 47.91

-33.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €42.22

$89.1 CHF 71.8

-45.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.24

$48.69 CHF 39.19

-61.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.89

$24.78 CHF 19.94

-63.52%

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

$610 €532

$3,411 CHF 2,745

-82.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$39.9K CHF 32.1K

-59.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.3

$138 CHF 111

-26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €35.41

$62.6 CHF 50.4

-35.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €81.2

$146 CHF 117

-36.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €104

$205 CHF 165

-42.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,398

$2,762 CHF 2,223

-41.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,081

$2,183 CHF 1,757

-43.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,634

$4,933 CHF 3,971

-38.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,798

$3,708 CHF 2,985

-44.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,963

$27.3K CHF 21.9K

-70.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,955

$16.7K CHF 13.4K

-72.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,421

$8,656 CHF 6,967

-81.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

2.09

82.30%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zurich: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Lisbon and $2,762 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 432% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $150 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $678 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 Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Zurich differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($2,217 vs $4,284 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 432% lower in Zurich. 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: $1,603 in Lisbon versus $2,762 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $3,411 in Zurich. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 153% higher in Zurich. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,217 in Lisbon versus $4,284 in Zurich, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Zurich. 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 Zurich 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 93% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.