Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuchatel and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Neuchatel and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,331 in Neuchatel versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,093 in Neuchatel versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,854 in Neuchatel versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Neuchatel is roughly 51% more expensive than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Neuchatel 149% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 CHF 19.44

$15.91 €13.69

54.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 CHF 77.4

$64.8 €55.7

51.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.98 CHF 15.75

$10.51 €9.04

90.10%

Cappuccino

$4.84 CHF 3.81

$2.87 €2.47

68.64%

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

$4.72 CHF 3.72

$2.24 €1.93

110.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CHF 3.09

$1.50 €1.29

161.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 CHF 6.71

$3.49 €3.00

144.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CHF 4.73

$3.88 €3.34

54.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.67

$1.14 €0.98

85.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.03

$1.75 €1.51

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 CHF 3.35

$1.76 €1.51

142.05%

Eggs

$7.34 CHF 5.79

$3.22 €2.77

127.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.76 CHF 24.25

$13.49 €11.61

128.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.50 CHF 25.62

$7.91 €6.81

310.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.62 CHF 38.33

$15.87 €13.65

206.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 CHF 4.06

$2.31 €1.99

122.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.34 CHF 2.63

$1.70 €1.46

96.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.22

$2.01 €1.73

40.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 CHF 4.52

$2.46 €2.12

132.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 CHF 2.30

$1.84 €1.59

58.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 CHF 1.87

$2.00 €1.72

18.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$1.93 €1.66

15.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CHF 1.30

$0.79 €0.68

108.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.59

$6.61 €5.68

64.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CHF 9.93

$5.72 €4.92

120.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CHF 1.86

$1.37 €1.17

71.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 CHF 2.70

$2.97 €2.56

15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$2.37 €2.04

33.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.1 CHF 71.0

$45.56 €39.19

97.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 CHF 7.40

$4.29 €3.69

118.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 CHF 2.56

$0.82 €0.70

296.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$78.2 CHF 61.6

$18.30 €15.74

327.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.68

$2.06 €1.78

3.40%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.2K

$34.3K €29.5K

15.63%

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

$42.3K CHF 33.3K

$39.3K €33.8K

7.59%

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

$285 CHF 225

$148 €127

92.86%

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

$62.3 CHF 49.14

$20.52 €17.65

203.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.08 CHF 29.24

$39.61 €34.08

-6.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.0 CHF 71.0

$47.85 €41.16

88.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$21.92 CHF 17.28

$9.18 €7.90

138.78%

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

$2,561 CHF 2,019

$614 €528

317.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K CHF 21.0K

$16.0K €13.8K

65.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 107

$105 €90.0

30.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.0 CHF 53.6

$42.06 €36.18

61.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$155 CHF 122

$94.0 €80.8

64.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CHF 92.9

$120 €103

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 CHF 1,381

$1,628 €1,400

7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CHF 1,137

$1,255 €1,080

14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CHF 2,162

$3,030 €2,607

-9.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 CHF 1,887

$2,020 €1,738

18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,613

$7,800 €6,709

56.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,798 CHF 6,937

$4,273 €3,675

105.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,595 CHF 5,988

$1,603 €1,379

373.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.42

3.81

-36.48%

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

Last update for Neuchatel: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,752 in Neuchatel and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neuchatel pays 374% 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: $98.0 in Neuchatel vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $678 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

Neuchatel vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Neuchatel and Lisbon differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($3,331 vs $2,210 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Neuchatel pays 374% 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: $1,752 in Neuchatel versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,561 in Neuchatel versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 152% higher in Neuchatel. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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, Neuchatel 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 51% less than in Neuchatel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.