Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburton and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburton and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,033 per month in Ashburton vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Ashburton vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,126 per month in Ashburton vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Ashburton is about 12% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ashburton and Lisbon sit above the global median – Ashburton by 48%, Lisbon by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.07 NZ$25.56

$17.30 €14.92

-12.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 NZ$120

$63.3 €54.6

11.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 NZ$16.10

$11.39 €9.83

-16.68%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.68

$3.19 €2.75

5.02%

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

$2.35 NZ$3.98

$2.45 €2.11

-4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$1.76 €1.52

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.31 NZ$12.40

$3.59 €3.10

103.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 NZ$11.83

$3.39 €2.93

105.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$2.98

$1.24 €1.07

41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 NZ$3.24

$1.98 €1.71

-3.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.66

$1.52 €1.31

3.29%

Eggs

$6.18 NZ$10.49

$4.04 €3.49

52.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 NZ$14.03

$13.54 €11.68

-38.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 NZ$16.51

$8.39 €7.23

15.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.10 NZ$23.92

$18.25 €15.74

-22.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 NZ$4.44

$2.29 €1.97

14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.74 €1.50

14.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 NZ$4.76

$1.86 €1.60

51.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 NZ$5.39

$2.63 €2.27

20.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.78

$1.92 €1.65

-14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 NZ$2.63

$2.09 €1.81

-25.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 NZ$3.86

$1.44 €1.24

57.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 NZ$2.41

$0.84 €0.73

69.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.25 NZ$42.83

$6.78 €5.85

272.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 NZ$14.80

$5.71 €4.93

52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.22

$1.38 €1.19

165.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 NZ$7.72

$2.22 €1.91

104.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 NZ$3.25

$2.40 €2.07

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 NZ$137

$46.78 €40.35

72.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 NZ$4.64

$4.17 €3.60

-34.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 NZ$2.98

$1.14 €0.98

54.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 NZ$49.21

$17.68 €15.25

64.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 NZ$3.47

$2.32 €2.00

-11.64%

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

$26.6K NZ$45.0K

$35.3K €30.5K

-24.86%

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

$25.8K NZ$43.8K

$41.4K €35.7K

-37.65%

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

$165 NZ$280

$170 €147

-3.04%

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

$24.23 NZ$41.10

$19.34 €16.68

25.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.15 NZ$80.0

$33.64 €29.01

40.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 NZ$69.7

$48.10 €41.48

-14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.16

Cinema Ticket

$11.70 NZ$19.84

$9.92 €8.56

17.94%

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

$719 NZ$1,219

$717 €619

0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K NZ$39.0K

$17.5K €15.1K

31.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 NZ$106

$105 €90.4

-40.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.21 NZ$69.9

$46.95 €40.49

-12.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$175

$103 €89.2

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 NZ$223

$124 €107

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 NZ$1,710

$1,677 €1,446

-39.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 NZ$1,286

$1,271 €1,096

-40.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 NZ$2,920

$2,985 €2,574

-42.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 NZ$2,541

$1,992 €1,718

-24.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,046 NZ$8,560

$7,826 €6,750

-35.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 NZ$5,727

$4,658 €4,017

-27.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,365

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.91

3.79

55.94%

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

Last update for Ashburton: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Ashburton versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Ashburton versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $283 – making Lisbon 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

Ashburton vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,033 in Ashburton, $2,316 in Lisbon – roughly 14% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,050 per month in Ashburton and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Ashburton and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Ashburton, where all-in costs run around $2,033, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Ashburton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,033 in Ashburton to $2,316 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ashburton. 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.