Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $702 per month in Bender vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Bender vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,330 per month in Bender vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Bender is about 70% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bender sits 49% below the global median, while Lisbon is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 MDL 112

$17.30 €14.93

-62.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 MDL 325

$63.3 €54.6

-69.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 MDL 99.3

$11.39 €9.83

-49.08%

Cappuccino

$1.23 MDL 21.05

$3.19 €2.75

-61.44%

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

$1.07 MDL 18.38

$2.45 €2.11

-56.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MDL 8.70

$1.76 €1.52

-71.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 MDL 15.56

$3.59 €3.10

-74.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 MDL 29.76

$3.39 €2.93

-48.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MDL 16.40

$1.24 €1.07

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MDL 8.33

$1.98 €1.71

-75.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MDL 24.38

$1.52 €1.31

-6.58%

Eggs

$2.01 MDL 34.42

$4.04 €3.49

-50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.19 MDL 71.7

$13.54 €11.68

-69.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 MDL 76.4

$8.39 €7.24

-46.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.49 MDL 94.0

$18.25 €15.75

-69.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.85 MDL 14.55

$2.29 €1.98

-62.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.19

$1.74 €1.50

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 MDL 31.83

$1.86 €1.60

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MDL 33.13

$2.63 €2.27

-26.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MDL 11.66

$1.92 €1.65

-64.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 MDL 9.10

$2.09 €1.81

-74.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MDL 10.36

$1.44 €1.24

-57.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MDL 14.51

$0.84 €0.73

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MDL 50.9

$6.78 €5.85

-56.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.69 MDL 46.13

$5.71 €4.93

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.56

$1.38 €1.19

-59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MDL 32.33

$2.22 €1.91

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MDL 6.19

$2.40 €2.07

-85.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 MDL 38.70

$4.17 €3.60

-45.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MDL 4.72

$1.14 €0.98

-75.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 MDL 87.2

$17.68 €15.26

-71.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MDL 25.47

$2.32 €2.01

-35.78%

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

$29.9K MDL 512.5K

$35.3K €30.5K

-15.28%

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

$30.9K MDL 528.8K

$41.4K €35.8K

-25.48%

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

$258 MDL 4,422

$170 €147

51.64%

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

$9.50 MDL 163

$19.34 €16.69

-50.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.95 MDL 188

$33.64 €29.03

-67.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.50

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.17

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 MDL 154

$9.92 €8.56

-9.07%

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

$440 MDL 7,531

$717 €619

-38.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,043 MDL 103.5K

$17.5K €15.1K

-65.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.4 MDL 1,376

$105 €90.4

-23.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.04 MDL 840

$46.95 €40.51

4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 MDL 2,048

$103 €89.2

15.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MDL 1,985

$124 €107

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 MDL 5,197

$1,677 €1,447

-81.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,097

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,575

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,719

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,753

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$317 MDL 5,420

$1,583 €1,366

-80.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.41

3.79

148.28%

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

Last update for Bender: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $304 in Bender 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.

Salaries run about 400% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Bender versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $140 vs $283 – making Bender 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

Bender vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 230%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,053 per month in Bender 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 Bender, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Bender and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 102% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bender – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bender. 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.