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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,130 in Lugano versus $2,263 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,364 in Lugano versus $3,315 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,598 in Lugano versus $4,368 in Lisbon.

Living in Lugano is roughly 38% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lugano 133% above, Lisbon 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.04 CHF 24.64

$15.94 €13.73

94.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$184 CHF 146

$63.4 €54.6

190.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.82 CHF 14.94

$10.38 €8.95

81.31%

Cappuccino

$4.30 CHF 3.42

$2.79 €2.40

54.12%

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

$4.91 CHF 3.90

$2.34 €2.01

109.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 CHF 3.21

$1.57 €1.35

157.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.48 CHF 5.94

$3.43 €2.95

118.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.52 CHF 5.97

$3.91 €3.37

92.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.78

$1.08 €0.93

107.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 CHF 2.76

$1.77 €1.52

96.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.85 CHF 3.85

$1.71 €1.47

183.63%

Eggs

$6.92 CHF 5.50

$3.15 €2.71

119.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 CHF 21.16

$13.68 €11.79

94.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$36.56 CHF 29.03

$8.01 €6.90

356.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.24 CHF 37.50

$15.52 €13.37

204.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 CHF 2.47

$2.29 €1.98

35.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 CHF 1.59

$1.64 €1.41

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.04

$1.94 €1.67

32.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.31 CHF 5.80

$2.51 €2.17

191.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 CHF 1.73

$1.79 €1.54

21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$2.01 €1.73

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.05

$1.97 €1.69

31.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.03

$0.84 €0.73

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 CHF 8.79

$6.79 €5.85

63.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 CHF 10.35

$5.67 €4.89

129.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CHF 2.11

$1.39 €1.20

91.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CHF 3.36

$3.02 €2.60

40.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CHF 2.51

$2.27 €1.95

39.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 CHF 71.6

$45.44 €39.15

98.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 CHF 5.23

$4.29 €3.70

53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.56 CHF 3.62

$0.85 €0.73

436.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.8 CHF 48.24

$18.28 €15.75

232.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.68

$1.99 €1.71

6.53%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.2K

$35.0K €30.2K

15.75%

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

$38.1K CHF 30.3K

$39.5K €34.1K

-3.54%

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

$207 CHF 165

$146 €126

41.79%

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

$73.5 CHF 58.4

$20.45 €17.62

259.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 CHF 42.35

$38.98 €33.58

36.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 CHF 86.1

$48.98 €42.21

121.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$62.3 CHF 49.46

$18.83 €16.22

230.86%

Cinema Ticket

$18.54 CHF 14.72

$9.52 €8.21

94.75%

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

$1,208 CHF 959

$608 €524

98.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.4K

$16.5K €14.2K

108.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 CHF 98.5

$104 €89.5

19.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.46 CHF 38.47

$42.12 €36.29

15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 106

$92.2 €79.5

45.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 CHF 121

$120 €103

27.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 CHF 1,311

$1,621 €1,397

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 CHF 975

$1,268 €1,092

-3.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,788 CHF 2,213

$3,048 €2,626

-8.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 CHF 2,084

$2,009 €1,731

30.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.7K

$7,663 €6,602

141.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K CHF 9,013

$4,329 €3,730

162.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,092 CHF 5,630

$1,585 €1,366

347.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

3.81

-34.38%

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

Last update for Lugano: June 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,652 in Lugano and $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lugano pays 347% 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: $184 in Lugano vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $668 vs $269 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

Lugano vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lugano and Lisbon differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($3,130 vs $2,263 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lugano pays 347% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,652 in Lugano versus $1,621 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,208 in Lugano versus $608 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 148% higher in Lugano. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,263 in Lisbon versus $3,130 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, Lugano and Lisbon 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 38% less than in Lugano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.