Cost of Living · CH vs PT
🇨🇭 Zürich vs 🇵🇹 Lisbon: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $3,208 in Switzerland vs $1,298 in Portugal — 59.56% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Portugal
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -64.12%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -64.12%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -64.12%
Closest to Switzerland prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -25%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -25.38%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -25.39%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Switzerland | Portugal | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $2,413 | $866 (800 EUR) | -64.12% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,931 | $693 (640 EUR) | -64.12% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $4,413 | $1,583 (1,463 EUR) | -64.12% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $23.17 | $10.36 (10 EUR) | -55.29% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $96.54 | $43.15 (40 EUR) | -55.3% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $13.84 | $6.65 (6 EUR) | -51.95% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $1.32 | $0.74 (1 EUR) | -43.94% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $3.84 | $2.14 (2 EUR) | -44.27% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $4.09 | $2.27 (2 EUR) | -44.5% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $12.02 | $6.69 (6 EUR) | -44.34% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $4.81 | $2.68 (2 EUR) | -44.28% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $5.77 | $3.21 (3 EUR) | -44.37% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $14.42 | $8.03 (7 EUR) | -44.31% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $2.40 | $1.34 (1 EUR) | -44.17% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $7.72 | $3.45 (3 EUR) | -55.31% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $8.77 | $6.54 (6 EUR) | -25.43% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $6.44 | $2.88 (3 EUR) | -55.28% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $2.76 | $1.54 (1 EUR) | -44.2% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $81.77 | $39.32 (36 EUR) | -51.91% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $3.46 | $1.66 (2 EUR) | -52.02% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $5.15 | $2.30 (2 EUR) | -55.34% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $2.32 | $1.04 (1 EUR) | -55.17% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $1.04 | $0.78 (1 EUR) | -25% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $252 | $121 (112 EUR) | -51.91% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $88.06 | $42.35 (39 EUR) | -51.91% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $56.61 | $27.23 (25 EUR) | -51.9% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $64.36 | $28.77 (27 EUR) | -55.3% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $18.02 | $8.05 (7 EUR) | -55.33% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $38.62 | $17.26 (16 EUR) | -55.31% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $60.29 | $44.98 (42 EUR) | -25.39% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $98.65 | $73.61 (68 EUR) | -25.38% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $322 | $144 (133 EUR) | -55.3% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Portugal than Switzerland?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,298 in Portugal versus $3,208 in Switzerland — 59.56% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Portugal?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $3.45 in Portugal (≈ 3.19 EUR), versus about $7.72 in Switzerland.
- How much is rent in Portugal compared to Switzerland?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $866/month in Portugal versus $2,413/month in Switzerland (-64.12%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.