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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,182 in Mendrisio versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,897 in Mendrisio versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,612 in Mendrisio versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Mendrisio is roughly 37% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mendrisio 132% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$35.50 CHF 28.86

$17.30 €14.93

105.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$177 CHF 144

$63.3 €54.6

179.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.33 CHF 16.53

$11.39 €9.83

78.49%

Cappuccino

$4.56 CHF 3.71

$3.19 €2.75

42.95%

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

$5.22 CHF 4.24

$2.45 €2.11

113.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CHF 3.24

$1.76 €1.52

126.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.80 CHF 7.16

$3.59 €3.10

145.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 CHF 6.01

$3.39 €2.93

118.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.84

$1.24 €1.07

82.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 CHF 3.07

$1.98 €1.71

90.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.46

$1.52 €1.31

179.61%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 6.00

$4.04 €3.49

82.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.48 CHF 21.52

$13.54 €11.68

95.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.91 CHF 24.32

$8.39 €7.24

256.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.00 CHF 33.33

$18.25 €15.75

124.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.76

$2.29 €1.98

48.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 CHF 1.40

$1.74 €1.50

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$1.86 €1.60

36.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 CHF 5.14

$2.63 €2.27

140.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 CHF 1.48

$1.92 €1.65

-5.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$2.09 €1.81

6.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$1.44 €1.24

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CHF 0.96

$0.84 €0.73

40.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 CHF 9.09

$6.78 €5.85

64.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 CHF 10.29

$5.71 €4.93

121.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CHF 2.40

$1.38 €1.19

113.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 CHF 3.36

$2.22 €1.91

86.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.13 CHF 2.55

$2.40 €2.07

30.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 CHF 5.89

$4.17 €3.60

73.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.81 CHF 4.72

$1.14 €0.98

409.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.3 CHF 65.3

$17.68 €15.26

354.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$2.32 €2.01

-1.29%

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

$36.3K CHF 29.5K

$35.3K €30.5K

2.62%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.9K

$41.4K €35.8K

-2.41%

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

$294 CHF 239

$170 €147

72.39%

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

$22.75 CHF 18.49

$19.34 €16.69

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.39 CHF 40.15

$33.64 €29.03

46.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.0 CHF 60.2

$48.10 €41.50

53.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$20.28 CHF 16.49

$9.92 €8.56

104.44%

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

$1,216 CHF 989

$717 €619

69.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.7K CHF 28.2K

$17.5K €15.1K

98.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$164 CHF 133

$105 €90.4

56.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 CHF 47.83

$46.95 €40.51

25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$196 CHF 159

$103 €89.2

89.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 CHF 124

$124 €107

22.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 CHF 1,164

$1,677 €1,447

-14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 CHF 1,022

$1,271 €1,097

-1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,940 CHF 5,643

$1,583 €1,366

338.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.37

3.79

-37.47%

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

Last update for Mendrisio: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,432 in Mendrisio and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mendrisio pays 338% 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: $177 in Mendrisio vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $610 vs $283 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

Mendrisio vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mendrisio and Lisbon differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($3,182 vs $2,316 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 338% higher in Mendrisio, 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: $1,432 in Mendrisio versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 116% higher in Mendrisio. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,182 per month in Mendrisio versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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, Mendrisio 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 37% less than in Mendrisio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.