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: $3,319 in Neuchatel versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,063 in Neuchatel versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,807 in Neuchatel versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Neuchatel is roughly 45% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Neuchatel 148% above, Lisbon 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.85 CHF 20.09

$16.19 €14.17

53.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100.0 CHF 80.8

$63.3 €55.4

57.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.27 CHF 16.39

$10.32 €9.03

96.41%

Cappuccino

$4.74 CHF 3.84

$2.83 €2.48

67.49%

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

$4.69 CHF 3.79

$2.29 €2.00

104.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CHF 3.11

$1.58 €1.38

143.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.37 CHF 6.77

$3.40 €2.98

146.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CHF 4.85

$4.03 €3.52

48.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$1.09 €0.95

101.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.15

$1.75 €1.53

122.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$1.76 €1.54

146.02%

Eggs

$7.32 CHF 5.92

$3.17 €2.77

130.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.71 CHF 24.83

$13.19 €11.54

132.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.57 CHF 26.33

$7.97 €6.97

308.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.90 CHF 38.73

$15.53 €13.59

208.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 CHF 4.32

$2.37 €2.07

125.32%

Banana (1kg)

$3.35 CHF 2.71

$1.71 €1.49

95.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$2.01 €1.76

36.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 CHF 4.62

$2.43 €2.13

134.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.33

$1.76 €1.54

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.03 €1.78

16.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.72

$1.92 €1.68

10.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CHF 1.31

$0.85 €0.74

90.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 CHF 9.01

$6.58 €5.76

69.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 CHF 9.83

$5.58 €4.88

117.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.94

$1.33 €1.17

80.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 CHF 2.63

$2.97 €2.60

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 CHF 2.59

$2.28 €1.99

40.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.0 CHF 72.7

$45.79 €40.06

96.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 CHF 7.61

$4.23 €3.70

122.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.72

$0.81 €0.71

316.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$76.0 CHF 61.4

$18.44 €16.13

311.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$2.08 €1.82

3.85%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$34.7K €30.3K

16.66%

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

$41.6K CHF 33.6K

$39.2K €34.3K

6.19%

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

$286 CHF 231

$148 €130

93.01%

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

$62.4 CHF 50.5

$20.46 €17.90

205.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 CHF 30.13

$39.56 €34.61

-5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.3 CHF 74.7

$47.99 €41.99

92.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$21.54 CHF 17.41

$9.22 €8.07

133.62%

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

$2,594 CHF 2,097

$616 €539

320.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.2K CHF 21.2K

$16.4K €14.4K

59.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 CHF 109

$103 €89.9

31.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 CHF 55.8

$41.74 €36.52

65.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 CHF 123

$94.8 €82.9

60.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CHF 92.8

$122 €107

-5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 CHF 1,393

$1,633 €1,428

5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 CHF 1,169

$1,232 €1,078

17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,662 CHF 2,152

$3,098 €2,711

-14.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,455 CHF 1,985

$2,031 €1,777

20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.1K CHF 17.0K

$7,831 €6,851

168.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.3K

$4,389 €3,840

218.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,293 CHF 5,897

$1,607 €1,406

353.76%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,723 in Neuchatel and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Neuchatel pays 354% 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: $100 in Neuchatel vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $677 vs $267 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 45% in total monthly costs ($3,319 vs $2,291 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 354% higher in Neuchatel, 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: $1,723 in Neuchatel versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,594 in Neuchatel versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 153% 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 45% less than in Neuchatel. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.