Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,803 per month in Dili vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,617 per month in Dili vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,431 per month in Dili vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Dili is about 18% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dili and Lisbon sit above the global median – Dili by 35%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 $4.97

$15.91 €13.70

-68.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.25 $44.25

$64.8 €55.8

-31.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 $8.01

$10.51 €9.05

-23.79%

Cappuccino

$3.81 $3.81

$2.87 €2.47

32.75%

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

$1.55 $1.55

$2.24 €1.93

-30.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.50 €1.30

-7.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.49 €3.01

-43.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.88 €3.34

18.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.14 €0.98

120.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.75 €1.51

36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.76 €1.51

17.05%

Eggs

$2.65 $2.65

$3.22 €2.77

-17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$13.49 €11.62

-84.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$7.91 €6.81

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 $15.98

$15.87 €13.67

0.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.31 €1.99

49.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.70 €1.46

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.01 €1.73

1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.46 €2.12

3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.84 €1.59

11.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.00 €1.72

-36.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.93 €1.66

-49.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.79 €0.68

29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 $2.71

$6.61 €5.69

-59.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 $11.96

$5.72 €4.93

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.37 €1.18

67.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.97 €2.56

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$2.37 €2.04

-89.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.23

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$4.29 €3.69

-17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 $3.30

$0.82 €0.70

302.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.90 $19.90

$18.30 €15.76

8.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.06 €1.78

-25.73%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$153 $153

$148 €127

3.23%

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

$29.62 $29.62

$20.52 €17.67

44.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.27 $49.27

$39.61 €34.11

24.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.44 $49.44

$47.85 €41.20

3.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.07 $3.07

$18.92 €16.29

-83.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 $5.60

$9.18 €7.91

-39.00%

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

$614 €529

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$16.0K €13.8K

-0.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$105 €90.1

-43.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.93 $29.93

$42.06 €36.22

-28.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 $81.0

$94.0 €80.9

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 $58.8

$120 €103

-50.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 $1,096

$1,628 €1,402

-32.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 $918

$1,255 €1,081

-26.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 $3,494

$3,030 €2,609

15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 $1,699

$2,020 €1,740

-15.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,679

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,561 $3,561

$1,603 €1,381

122.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

3.81

40.94%

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

Last update for Dili: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,096 in Dili versus $1,628 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 122% higher in Dili, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Dili versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Dili vs $269 in Lisbon – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dili vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 23%, 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 $2,705 per month in Dili and $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dili, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Dili and $65.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dili, where all-in costs run around $1,803, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Dili it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dili – 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 Dili. 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.