Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,210 a month against $3,440 in Montreux, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Montreux, Switzerland
Lisbon, Portugal
Montreux
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,440
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreux and in Lisbon

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,440 in Montreux versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Montreux $3,440
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,245 in Montreux versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Montreux $5,245
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,050 in Montreux versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Montreux $7,050
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Montreux is roughly 56% more expensive than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreux 153% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.54 CHF 25.19
$16.65 €14.92
83.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$125 CHF 103
$61.7 €55.3
102.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$18.32 CHF 15.11
$11.36 €10.18
61.27%
Cappuccino
$6.07 CHF 5.01
$2.97 €2.66
104.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 CHF 3.80
$2.29 €2.05
101.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05 CHF 3.34
$1.74 €1.56
132.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.70 CHF 8.00
$3.40 €3.05
185.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.49 CHF 7.82
$3.31 €2.97
186.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CHF 1.84
$1.16 €1.04
92.24%
White Bread (500g)
$3.31 CHF 2.73
$1.91 €1.71
73.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.32 CHF 2.74
$1.51 €1.36
119.87%
Eggs
$7.09 CHF 5.85
$4.02 €3.60
76.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.79 CHF 20.45
$12.94 €11.59
91.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.28 CHF 23.32
$7.77 €6.97
263.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.88 CHF 32.89
$17.76 €15.92
124.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.65 CHF 3.01
$2.30 €2.06
58.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 CHF 1.37
$1.73 €1.55
-4.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.46 CHF 2.03
$1.86 €1.66
32.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.60 CHF 3.80
$2.59 €2.32
77.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 CHF 1.53
$1.82 €1.63
2.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 CHF 1.58
$1.97 €1.76
-2.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 CHF 1.63
$1.47 €1.32
34.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 CHF 1.39
$0.72 €0.65
134.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.00 CHF 9.08
$6.58 €5.90
67.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.05 CHF 9.94
$5.61 €5.02
114.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73 CHF 2.25
$1.36 €1.22
100.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 CHF 2.68
$2.14 €1.91
51.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.21 CHF 3.47
$2.33 €2.09
80.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$104 CHF 85.4
$44.68 €40.04
131.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.47 CHF 6.16
$3.85 €3.45
94.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.76 CHF 3.10
$1.07 €0.96
251.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$64.8 CHF 53.4
$16.46 €14.75
293.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.42 CHF 2.00
$2.20 €1.97
10.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K CHF 31.9K
$34.2K €30.6K
13.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.6K CHF 32.7K
$38.7K €34.7K
2.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$288 CHF 238
$161 €144
78.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.64 CHF 31.04
$18.41 €16.50
104.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.2 CHF 43.03
$32.74 €29.34
59.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$89.6 CHF 73.9
$44.55 €39.92
101.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.58 CHF 37.60
$19.10 €17.11
138.64%
Cinema Ticket
$24.18 CHF 19.95
$9.60 €8.60
151.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,443 CHF 2,015
$668 €598
265.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.9K CHF 29.6K
$17.6K €15.8K
104.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$135 CHF 111
$102 €91.4
32.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.7 CHF 64.9
$44.46 €39.85
76.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$168 CHF 139
$98.5 €88.3
70.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$184 CHF 152
$124 €111
48.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,773 CHF 1,462
$1,608 €1,441
10.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,473 CHF 1,215
$1,190 €1,066
23.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,960 CHF 2,441
$2,812 €2,520
5.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,500 CHF 2,062
$2,013 €1,804
24.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$16.4K CHF 13.5K
$7,839 €7,025
109.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.5K CHF 10.3K
$4,576 €4,100
172.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montreux
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,161 CHF 6,731
$1,575 €1,411
418.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.95
3.85
-49.35%

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

Last update for Montreux: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montreux
$1.5K
Lisbon
$1.2K 19.2% $283
Groceries & Markets
Montreux
$575
Lisbon
$272 52.7% $303
Eating Out
Montreux
$474
Lisbon
$243 48.8% $232
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montreux
$378
Lisbon
$212 43.8% $166
Clothing & Footwear
Montreux
$255
Lisbon
$166 34.9% $89
Getting Around
Montreux
$147
Lisbon
$63 56.9% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Montreux
$138
Lisbon
$64 53.8% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,773 in Montreux and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montreux pays about 5.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $125 in Montreux vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $575 vs $272 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Montreux
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
03:35 3:35 AM
02:35 2:35 AM
1 h behind Montreux
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,208
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.825 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.921 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montreux Lisbon 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Montreux
  • Lisbon

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
Montreux vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Montreux and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,440 in Montreux and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Lisbon is about 36% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Montreux or Lisbon?
Average pay in Montreux is about 5.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Montreux and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,773 in Montreux versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Montreux and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $2,443 in Montreux versus $668 in Lisbon. 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 111% higher in Montreux. 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 $3,440 in Montreux, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Montreux. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Where should families live: Montreux or Lisbon?
For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montreux, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Is Montreux or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Montreux and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Montreux or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Montreux. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Montreux vs other spots: cost of living compared

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