Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,887 in Cambridge versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,876 in Cambridge versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,864 in Cambridge versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Cambridge costs roughly 17% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge 37% above, Lisbon 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.89 NZ$25.60

$17.55 €15.12

-15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 NZ$61.8

$64.5 €55.6

-44.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 NZ$15.09

$11.65 €10.04

-24.64%

Cappuccino

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$3.26 €2.81

-8.28%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.73

$2.49 €2.15

-12.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.12

$1.67 €1.44

8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 NZ$8.10

$3.47 €2.99

35.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 NZ$12.40

$3.58 €3.08

101.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.75

$1.18 €1.02

35.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NZ$4.13

$1.95 €1.68

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.33

$1.56 €1.35

24.36%

Eggs

$6.45 NZ$11.09

$4.01 €3.46

60.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 NZ$14.97

$13.27 €11.44

-34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.93 NZ$17.07

$8.42 €7.26

17.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 NZ$23.03

$18.23 €15.72

-26.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 NZ$4.70

$2.32 €2.00

17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.72

$1.73 €1.49

25.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.19

$1.93 €1.67

26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.15

$2.64 €2.27

13.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$1.90 €1.64

22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 NZ$3.01

$2.11 €1.82

-17.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 NZ$3.47

$1.44 €1.24

40.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$0.80 €0.69

45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.53 NZ$49.06

$7.01 €6.04

306.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 NZ$18.44

$5.92 €5.11

81.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.14

$1.36 €1.18

119.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.07

$2.15 €1.85

64.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 NZ$3.15

$2.38 €2.05

-23.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.3 NZ$152

$46.22 €39.85

91.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 NZ$3.99

$4.19 €3.61

-44.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 NZ$3.66

$1.10 €0.95

93.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.29 NZ$57.2

$17.26 €14.88

92.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.81

$2.25 €1.94

-27.56%

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

$26.4K NZ$45.3K

$34.5K €29.7K

-23.52%

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

$23.7K NZ$40.7K

$41.6K €35.9K

-43.10%

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

$105 NZ$180

$171 €147

-38.61%

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

$28.47 NZ$48.95

$19.01 €16.38

49.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.90 NZ$65.2

$34.28 €29.55

10.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 NZ$70.7

$49.65 €42.80

-17.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$14.16 NZ$24.34

$10.10 €8.71

40.20%

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

$1,167 NZ$2,007

$699 €603

66.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K NZ$36.3K

$17.8K €15.3K

18.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 NZ$138

$105 €90.2

-23.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.24 NZ$74.3

$47.97 €41.35

-9.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 NZ$157

$102 €87.8

-10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 NZ$205

$128 €111

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 NZ$1,655

$1,661 €1,432

-42.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NZ$1,493

$1,228 €1,059

-29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 NZ$2,881

$2,915 €2,513

-42.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 NZ$2,689

$2,023 €1,744

-22.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,092 NZ$8,754

$8,129 €7,007

-37.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,453 NZ$5,937

$4,635 €3,996

-25.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,663 NZ$4,579

$1,619 €1,396

64.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

3.78

42.59%

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

Last update for Cambridge: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Cambridge and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cambridge vs $64.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $281, with Lisbon cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cambridge vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Cambridge, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Cambridge versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,887 per month in Cambridge versus $2,268 in Lisbon – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge runs roughly 91% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,887 in Cambridge versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cambridge 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.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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.

Expats usually find Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.