Cost of Living Comparison Between Douglas and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Douglas and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Douglas versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,123 in Douglas versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Douglas versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Douglas is roughly 15% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Douglas 95% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.31 IMP 20.92

$17.30 €14.93

63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 IMP 89.7

$63.3 €54.6

91.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.34 IMP 9.12

$11.39 €9.83

8.34%

Cappuccino

$5.10 IMP 3.77

$3.19 €2.75

59.87%

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

$2.84 IMP 2.10

$2.45 €2.11

15.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IMP 1.57

$1.76 €1.52

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 IMP 4.90

$3.59 €3.10

84.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 IMP 4.57

$3.39 €2.93

82.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 IMP 1.86

$1.24 €1.07

103.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 IMP 2.03

$1.98 €1.71

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 IMP 1.53

$1.52 €1.31

36.18%

Eggs

$5.57 IMP 4.12

$4.04 €3.49

37.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 IMP 5.90

$13.54 €11.68

-40.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 IMP 6.37

$8.39 €7.24

2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 IMP 9.57

$18.25 €15.75

-29.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 IMP 2.28

$2.29 €1.98

34.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 IMP 1.39

$1.74 €1.50

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 IMP 2.92

$1.86 €1.60

112.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 IMP 2.63

$2.63 €2.27

35.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 IMP 2.30

$1.92 €1.65

61.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 IMP 2.29

$2.09 €1.81

48.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 IMP 1.55

$1.44 €1.24

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 IMP 1.99

$0.84 €0.73

220.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.65 IMP 16.74

$6.78 €5.85

234.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.00 IMP 8.87

$5.71 €4.93

110.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 IMP 3.31

$1.38 €1.19

224.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 IMP 3.31

$2.22 €1.91

101.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 IMP 2.15

$2.40 €2.07

21.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 IMP 73.2

$46.78 €40.37

111.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 IMP 3.79

$4.17 €3.60

22.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IMP 1.13

$1.14 €0.98

34.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.4 IMP 60.9

$17.68 €15.26

365.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 IMP 1.43

$2.32 €2.01

-16.81%

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

$45.0K IMP 33.2K

$35.3K €30.5K

27.21%

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

$45.4K IMP 33.6K

$41.4K €35.8K

9.63%

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

$349 IMP 258

$170 €147

104.87%

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

$64.4 IMP 47.56

$19.34 €16.69

232.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 IMP 55.4

$33.64 €29.03

122.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 IMP 50.0

$48.10 €41.50

40.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 IMP 14.96

$19.90 €17.17

1.71%

Cinema Ticket

$16.14 IMP 11.93

$9.92 €8.56

62.70%

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

$1,805 IMP 1,334

$717 €619

151.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$53.2K IMP 39.3K

$17.5K €15.1K

204.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 IMP 75.5

$105 €90.4

-2.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.95 IMP 33.22

$46.95 €40.51

-4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 IMP 82.6

$103 €89.2

8.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 IMP 52.9

$124 €107

-42.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 IMP 920

$1,677 €1,447

-25.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 IMP 803

$1,271 €1,097

-14.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 IMP 1,746

$2,985 €2,575

-20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 IMP 1,519

$1,992 €1,719

3.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,018 IMP 3,708

$7,826 €6,753

-35.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,922 IMP 2,899

$4,658 €4,019

-15.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,993 IMP 2,212

$1,583 €1,366

89.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

3.79

25.59%

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

Last update for Douglas: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,245 in Douglas and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 89% 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: $121 in Douglas vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $283 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

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

Douglas vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 89% higher in Douglas, 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: $1,245 in Douglas versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,675 per month in Douglas versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lisbon runs roughly 112% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,675 in Douglas, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Douglas 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 Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.