Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,264 per month in Dover vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,229 per month in Dover vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,195 per month in Dover vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Dover is about 2% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dover and Lisbon sit above the global median – Dover by 65%, Lisbon by 69%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.43 £15.84
$17.30 €14.87
23.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 £49.89
$63.3 €54.4
6.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.91 £8.06
$11.39 €9.79
-4.21%
Cappuccino
$4.38 £3.24
$3.19 €2.74
37.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 £1.80
$2.45 €2.10
-0.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39 £1.02
$1.76 €1.52
-21.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.14 £3.06
$3.59 €3.09
15.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 £3.12
$3.39 €2.92
24.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 £1.10
$1.24 €1.06
19.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.06 £0.78
$1.98 €1.71
-46.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 £1.26
$1.52 €1.31
12.50%
Eggs
$3.39 £2.51
$4.04 €3.47
-16.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.97 £7.37
$13.54 €11.64
-26.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 £5.81
$8.39 €7.21
-6.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 £11.18
$18.25 €15.69
-17.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 £2.36
$2.29 €1.97
39.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 £1.05
$1.74 €1.50
-18.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 £2.07
$1.86 €1.60
50.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.31 £2.45
$2.63 €2.26
25.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.71 £1.26
$1.92 €1.65
-10.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 £1.11
$2.09 €1.80
-28.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 £0.98
$1.44 €1.24
-8.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 £0.58
$0.84 €0.72
-7.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.50 £18.11
$6.78 €5.83
261.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.97 £8.11
$5.71 €4.91
92.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.71 £2.00
$1.38 €1.18
96.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 £2.69
$2.22 €1.91
63.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.01 £2.96
$2.40 €2.06
67.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 £80.8
$46.78 €40.22
133.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.33 £3.94
$4.17 €3.59
27.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 £0.99
$1.14 €0.98
18.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.60 £15.97
$17.68 €15.20
22.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.95 £1.44
$2.32 €2.00
-15.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.0K £28.8K
$35.3K €30.4K
10.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.1K £30.4K
$41.4K €35.6K
-0.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$254 £188
$170 €146
48.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.85 £13.94
$19.34 €16.62
-2.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.95 £29.53
$33.64 €28.92
18.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.47 £35.09
$48.10 €41.35
-1.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.13 £20.06
$19.90 €17.11
36.33%
Cinema Ticket
$12.98 £9.59
$9.92 €8.53
30.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,063 £786
$717 €617
48.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.6K £15.2K
$17.5K €15.0K
17.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.3 £52.7
$105 €90.1
-31.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.89 £21.36
$46.95 €40.36
-38.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 £59.4
$103 €88.9
-22.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.4 £38.75
$124 €107
-57.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,151 £851
$1,677 €1,441
-31.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 £740
$1,271 €1,093
-21.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,814 £1,341
$2,985 €2,566
-39.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,599 £1,182
$1,992 €1,713
-19.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,392 £3,986
$7,826 €6,728
-31.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,353 £2,479
$4,658 €4,004
-28.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dover
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,857 £2,112
$1,583 €1,361
80.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.91
3.79
29.55%

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

Last update for Dover: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,151 in Dover versus $1,677 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 81% higher in Dover, 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 $67.0 in Dover versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Dover vs $283 in Lisbon – so Dover 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
Dover vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lisbon cheaper than Dover?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,396 per month in Dover and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dover, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,063 per month in Dover and $717 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Dover and in Lisbon?
Groceries cost about 2% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Dover or in Lisbon?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dover, where all-in costs run around $2,264, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Dover it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Dover or Lisbon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Dover – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Dover or Lisbon?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Dover. 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.

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