Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Calama: $587 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Calama, Chile
Lisbon, Portugal
Calama
🇨🇱 Chile
$587
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calama 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 Calama and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $587 in Calama versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

  • Calama $587
  • Lisbon $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Calama versus $3,275 in Lisbon.

  • Calama $1,195
  • Lisbon $3,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Calama versus $4,341 in Lisbon.

  • Calama $1,802
  • Lisbon $4,341

Living in Calama costs roughly 73% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calama is 57% below, Lisbon is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.93 CLP 6,816
$16.65 €14.96
-58.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.87 CLP 31.4K
$61.7 €55.5
-48.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$11.36 €10.20
-
Cappuccino
$1.99 CLP 1,957
$2.97 €2.67
-33.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 CLP 858
$2.29 €2.06
-62.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 CLP 851
$1.74 €1.56
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.98 CLP 2,934
$3.40 €3.06
-12.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.91 CLP 4,828
$3.31 €2.97
48.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 CLP 1,103
$1.16 €1.04
-3.45%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 CLP 784
$1.91 €1.72
-58.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.68 CLP 2,636
$1.51 €1.36
77.48%
Eggs
$4.80 CLP 4,723
$4.02 €3.61
19.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.98 CLP 8,835
$12.94 €11.62
-30.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.13 CLP 6,032
$7.77 €6.99
-21.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.42 CLP 7,304
$17.76 €15.96
-58.22%
Apples (1kg)
$1.19 CLP 1,167
$2.30 €2.07
-48.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 CLP 1,010
$1.73 €1.56
-40.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 CLP 1,462
$1.86 €1.67
-19.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.08 CLP 1,065
$2.59 €2.33
-58.30%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 CLP 882
$1.82 €1.64
-50.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 CLP 960
$1.97 €1.77
-50.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.47 €1.32
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.72 €0.65
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.19 CLP 5,102
$6.58 €5.92
-21.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.15 CLP 4,080
$5.61 €5.04
-26.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 CLP 1,020
$1.36 €1.22
-23.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20 CLP 1,180
$2.14 €1.92
-43.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.95 CLP 935
$2.33 €2.10
-59.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$44.68 €40.14
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.85 €3.46
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.46 CLP 1,439
$1.07 €0.96
36.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.46 €14.79
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 CLP 1,401
$2.20 €1.98
-35.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.2K €30.7K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$38.7K €34.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.80 CLP 40.1K
$161 €145
-74.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$18.41 €16.54
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.16 CLP 13.0K
$32.74 €29.41
-59.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 CLP 49.9K
$44.55 €40.03
13.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.97 CLP 19.6K
$19.10 €17.16
4.55%
Cinema Ticket
$4.51 CLP 4,441
$9.60 €8.62
-53.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 CLP 300.5K
$668 €600
-54.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$17.6K €15.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.75 CLP 34.2K
$102 €91.7
-65.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.04 CLP 27.6K
$44.46 €39.95
-36.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.75 CLP 44.0K
$98.5 €88.5
-54.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.3 CLP 59.3K
$124 €111
-51.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$322 CLP 316.9K
$1,608 €1,445
-79.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$103 CLP 101.3K
$1,190 €1,069
-91.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$795 CLP 782.4K
$2,812 €2,527
-71.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$617 CLP 606.6K
$2,013 €1,809
-69.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,406 CLP 1.4M
$7,839 €7,043
-82.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,221 CLP 1.2M
$4,576 €4,111
-73.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Calama
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,094 CLP 1.1M
$1,575 €1,415
-30.55%
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 Calama: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Calama
$173 *
Lisbon
$272 57.5% $99
Eating Out
Calama
$111 *
Lisbon
$243 119% $132
Accommodation & Living
Calama
$103
Lisbon
$1.2K 1056% $1.1K
Clothing & Footwear
Calama
$76
Lisbon
$166 120% $90
Sport & Entertainment
Calama
$60
Lisbon
$64 6.6% $4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Calama
$54 *
Lisbon
$212 294% $158
Getting Around
Calama
$11 *
Lisbon
$63 468% $52

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $322 in Calama and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 44% 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: $32 in Calama vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $272 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇱 Calama
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
07:18 7:18 AM
10:18 10:18 AM
3 h ahead of Calama
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
157,575
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CLP – Chilean Peso Converter

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,095 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.13 EUR).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Calama Lisbon 9,220 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Calama
  • 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
Calama vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Calama or Lisbon?
Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Calama or in Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Calama. 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 Calama compared to Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $322 in Calama versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Calama or in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Calama compared to Lisbon?
All in, you’ll spend $587 per month in Calama versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 276% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $800/month in Calama or in Lisbon?
At $587 in Calama versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $800 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Calama or Lisbon?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Calama or to Lisbon?
It comes down to priorities – Calama wins on affordability, Lisbon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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