Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bar and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Bar: $1,244 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bar, Montenegro
Lisbon, Portugal
Bar
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,244
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bar and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bar and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Bar versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Bar $1,244
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,947 in Bar versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Bar $1,947
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,651 in Bar versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Bar $2,651
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Bar costs roughly 44% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bar is 9% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.32 €10.17
$16.65 €14.96
-32.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.24 €42.44
$61.7 €55.5
-23.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.88 €8.88
$11.36 €10.20
-13.03%
Cappuccino
$2.75 €2.47
$2.97 €2.67
-7.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$2.29 €2.06
-6.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 €1.69
$1.74 €1.56
8.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.83 €2.54
$3.40 €3.06
-16.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 €2.81
$3.31 €2.97
-5.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 €1.06
$1.16 €1.04
1.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 €1.15
$1.91 €1.72
-32.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$1.51 €1.36
71.52%
Eggs
$3.16 €2.84
$4.02 €3.61
-21.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.60 €7.73
$12.94 €11.62
-33.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.83 €7.04
$7.77 €6.99
0.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.49 €10.32
$17.76 €15.96
-35.30%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 €1.23
$2.30 €2.07
-40.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 €1.78
$1.73 €1.56
14.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.57 €1.41
$1.86 €1.67
-15.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.66 €2.39
$2.59 €2.33
2.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 €0.88
$1.82 €1.64
-46.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 €0.91
$1.97 €1.77
-48.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 €1.90
$1.47 €1.32
43.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.82
$0.72 €0.65
26.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 €4.00
$6.58 €5.92
-32.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.88 €7.08
$5.61 €5.04
40.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.36 €1.22
-35.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.19
$2.14 €1.92
-38.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.27 €2.04
$2.33 €2.10
-2.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.57 €20.28
$44.68 €40.14
-49.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.18 €1.96
$3.85 €3.46
-43.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 €1.02
$1.07 €0.96
6.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.83 €12.43
$16.46 €14.79
-15.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.53
$2.20 €1.98
-22.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.1K €27.9K
$34.2K €30.7K
-9.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5K €25.6K
$38.7K €34.8K
-26.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 €98.9
$161 €145
-31.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.95 €14.33
$18.41 €16.54
-13.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.70 €26.69
$32.74 €29.41
-9.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.49 €39.08
$44.55 €40.03
-2.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.38 €12.92
$19.10 €17.16
-24.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.36 €3.91
$9.60 €8.62
-54.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$314 €282
$668 €600
-52.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,979 €6,270
$17.6K €15.8K
-60.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.2 €55.9
$102 €91.7
-39.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.86 €25.93
$44.46 €39.95
-35.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.7 €85.1
$98.5 €88.5
-3.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €102
$124 €111
-8.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$630 €566
$1,608 €1,445
-60.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$440 €395
$1,190 €1,069
-63.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,050
$2,812 €2,527
-58.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$823 €740
$2,013 €1,809
-59.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,915 €2,619
$7,839 €7,043
-62.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,132 €1,915
$4,576 €4,111
-53.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bar
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$987 €887
$1,575 €1,415
-37.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
3.85
29.87%

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

Last update for Bar: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bar
$440
Lisbon
$1.2K 171% $751
Groceries & Markets
Bar
$233
Lisbon
$272 17.1% $40
Eating Out
Bar
$190
Lisbon
$243 27.9% $53
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bar
$156
Lisbon
$212 36.4% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Bar
$134
Lisbon
$166 23.4% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Bar
$52
Lisbon
$64 22.1% $12
Getting Around
Bar
$40
Lisbon
$63 59.8% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $630 in Bar and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 60% 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: $47 in Bar vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $272 per month, with Bar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇪 Bar
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
12:09 12:09 PM
11:09 11:09 AM
1 h behind Bar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,727
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bar Lisbon 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bar
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bar vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bar or Lisbon?
Bar wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bar or in Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Bar. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bar compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $630 in Bar versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bar and in Lisbon?
Childcare runs $314 in Bar versus $668 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Bar or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bar or in Lisbon?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Bar is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Bar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
How safe is Bar compared to Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Bar 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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