Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Real and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Ciudad Real: $1,453 a month against $2,206 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ciudad Real, Spain
Lisbon, Portugal
Ciudad Real
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,453
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,453 in Ciudad Real versus $2,206 in Lisbon.

  • Ciudad Real $1,453
  • Lisbon $2,206

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,921 in Ciudad Real versus $3,276 in Lisbon.

  • Ciudad Real $1,921
  • Lisbon $3,276

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,389 in Ciudad Real versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Ciudad Real $2,389
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Ciudad Real costs roughly 34% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ciudad Real 7% above, Lisbon 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.32 €11.86
$16.86 €15.02
-21.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.49 €44.08
$61.0 €54.4
-18.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.22 €9.99
$10.98 €9.78
2.19%
Cappuccino
$2.47 €2.20
$3.05 €2.72
-19.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 €2.37
$2.28 €2.03
16.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.68 €1.50
20.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 €3.04
$3.44 €3.06
-0.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 €3.98
$3.91 €3.48
14.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 €1.10
$1.15 €1.02
6.96%
White Bread (500g)
$0.69 €0.61
$1.89 €1.68
-63.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.50 €1.34
-9.33%
Eggs
$2.67 €2.38
$4.12 €3.67
-35.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.79 €7.83
$13.01 €11.59
-32.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 €5.04
$8.04 €7.17
-29.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.92 €8.84
$17.89 €15.94
-44.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$2.27 €2.02
-2.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.74 €1.55
10.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 €1.48
$1.82 €1.62
-8.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.02 €1.80
$2.69 €2.39
-24.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.77 €1.57
-28.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.94 €1.73
-41.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 €1.01
$1.46 €1.30
-21.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 €0.51
$0.76 €0.68
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.05 €5.39
$6.66 €5.93
-9.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.93 €4.39
$5.64 €5.02
-12.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.29 €1.15
-7.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 €2.11
$2.14 €1.91
10.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.19 €1.06
$2.30 €2.05
-48.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.33 €10.10
$44.02 €39.21
-74.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.16 €1.93
$3.98 €3.55
-45.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 €1.02
$0.64 €0.57
78.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.53 €18.29
$18.93 €16.86
8.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.51
$2.28 €2.03
-25.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$33.4K €29.7K
1.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K €28.1K
$38.5K €34.3K
-18.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 €144
$158 €141
2.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.89 €9.70
$17.54 €15.62
-37.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.93 €22.21
$31.18 €27.78
-20.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.12 €34.84
$44.64 €39.77
-12.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.98 €16.91
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.58 €7.64
$9.58 €8.53
-10.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$873 €778
$674 €600
29.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,850 €2,539
$18.7K €16.7K
-84.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.6 €78.1
$102 €91.0
-14.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.88 €34.64
$45.90 €40.89
-15.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.6 €75.3
$102 €91.0
-17.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €94.5
$122 €109
-13.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 €643
$1,641 €1,461
-56.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 €552
$1,187 €1,058
-47.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$672 €599
$2,825 €2,516
-76.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$559 €498
$2,018 €1,798
-72.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,836 €6,980
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$878 €782
$4,701 €4,188
-81.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ciudad Real
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,440 €1,283
$1,687 €1,503
-14.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.3
3.82
-13.61%

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

Last update for Ciudad Real: November 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ciudad Real
$620
Lisbon
$1.2K 91.4% $567
Eating Out
Ciudad Real
$215
Lisbon
$245 14.3% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ciudad Real
$198
Lisbon
$207 4.5% $9
Groceries & Markets
Ciudad Real
$197
Lisbon
$275 39.3% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Ciudad Real
$143
Lisbon
$168 17.4% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Ciudad Real
$56
Lisbon
$64 13.4% $7.5
Getting Around
Ciudad Real
$24
Lisbon
$60 152% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Ciudad Real and $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 17% 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: $49 in Ciudad Real vs $61 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $275 per month, with Ciudad Real cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Ciudad Real
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
22:20 10:20 PM
21:20 9:20 PM
1 h behind Ciudad Real
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
75,303
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ciudad Real Lisbon 450 km
From you
  • Ciudad Real
  • 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
Ciudad Real vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ciudad Real and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,453 in Ciudad Real and $2,206 in Lisbon, so Ciudad Real is about 34% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Ciudad Real. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ciudad Real and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Ciudad Real versus $1,641 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ciudad Real – a meal for two runs $49 versus $61 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,453 in Ciudad Real versus $2,206 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad Real but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad Real the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ciudad Real and 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.
Is Ciudad Real or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ciudad Real and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Ciudad Real or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Ciudad Real gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ciudad Real vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?