Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandra and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandra and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,004 per month in Alexandra vs $2,227 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Alexandra vs $3,305 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,128 per month in Alexandra vs $4,384 in Lisbon, rent included.

Alexandra is about 55% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alexandra sits 25% below the global median, while Lisbon is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.65 R 145

$16.17 €13.84

-46.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.67 R 565

$64.6 €55.3

-47.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 82.0

$10.38 €8.88

-52.89%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 35.64

$2.77 €2.37

-23.10%

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

$0.98 R 16.51

$2.25 €1.92

-56.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.62

$1.57 €1.35

-48.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R 36.98

$3.49 €2.99

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 43.24

$4.00 €3.43

-35.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.40

$1.08 €0.93

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.89

$1.74 €1.49

-38.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.19

$1.74 €1.49

-6.90%

Eggs

$2.39 R 40.02

$3.18 €2.72

-24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 R 133

$13.43 €11.50

-41.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 78.6

$7.99 €6.84

-41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 110

$16.09 €13.77

-59.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 27.18

$2.28 €1.95

-28.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.83

$1.72 €1.48

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.74

$1.94 €1.66

-23.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R 28.10

$2.54 €2.18

-33.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.94

$1.83 €1.57

-28.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.75

$2.04 €1.75

-42.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.69

$1.98 €1.69

-46.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 15.11

$0.85 €0.73

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R 48.30

$6.85 €5.87

-57.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.21 R 87.4

$5.78 €4.94

-9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 22.07

$1.37 €1.18

-3.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.64

$2.90 €2.48

-43.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 28.04

$2.28 €1.95

-26.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.15

$4.08 €3.49

-72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 16.00

$0.82 €0.70

15.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 R 52.9

$18.27 €15.64

-82.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.79

$2.01 €1.72

-38.31%

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

$19.3K R 324.0K

$35.3K €30.2K

-45.22%

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

$23.6K R 395.5K

$38.5K €32.9K

-38.72%

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

$117 R 1,966

$145 €124

-19.38%

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

$37.94 R 636

$20.96 €17.94

81.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.95 R 636

$40.05 €34.29

-5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.94 R 519

$48.79 €41.76

-36.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 R 125

$9.06 €7.76

-17.77%

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

$196 R 3,280

$607 €519

-67.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,290 R 71.9K

$16.3K €14.0K

-73.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 R 835

$105 €89.6

-52.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 R 548

$40.95 €35.06

-20.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 R 1,485

$93.6 €80.1

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 R 1,337

$119 €101

-32.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 R 6,069

$1,604 €1,373

-77.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 R 5,612

$1,236 €1,058

-72.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 R 11.4K

$3,046 €2,607

-77.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 R 11.4K

$2,057 €1,761

-67.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$828 R 13.9K

$7,709 €6,599

-89.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 R 10.8K

$4,266 €3,652

-84.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,731 R 29.0K

$1,584 €1,356

9.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

3.81

202.10%

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

Last update for Alexandra: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Alexandra versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Alexandra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Alexandra versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $271 – making Alexandra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Alexandra vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 122% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,506 per month in Alexandra and $3,341 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,004 in Alexandra and $2,227 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Alexandra and $607 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,004, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,004 versus $2,227 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.