Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,448 per month in Dublin vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,080 per month in Dublin vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Dublin vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

Dublin costs about 50% more than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Lisbon sit above the global median – Dublin by 158%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.37 €20.44

$16.19 €14.17

44.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €90.2

$63.3 €55.4

62.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 €11.06

$10.32 €9.03

22.48%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.16

$2.83 €2.48

67.84%

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

$2.55 €2.23

$2.29 €2.00

11.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.58 €1.38

36.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 €7.06

$3.40 €2.98

137.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 €6.15

$4.03 €3.52

74.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.09 €0.95

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.96

$1.75 €1.53

27.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.76 €1.54

17.61%

Eggs

$4.69 €4.10

$3.17 €2.77

47.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 €9.78

$13.19 €11.54

-15.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 €10.00

$7.97 €6.97

43.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 €12.32

$15.53 €13.59

-9.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.79

$2.37 €2.07

34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.85

$1.71 €1.49

23.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 €2.50

$2.01 €1.76

42.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.71

$2.43 €2.13

121.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.88

$1.76 €1.54

22.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$2.03 €1.78

-13.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.92 €1.68

-28.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.84

$0.85 €0.74

147.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.94 €18.32

$6.58 €5.76

218.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 €11.83

$5.58 €4.88

142.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.12

$1.33 €1.17

167.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 €3.46

$2.97 €2.60

33.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.99

$2.28 €1.99

-0.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.6 €84.5

$45.79 €40.06

110.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 €4.71

$4.23 €3.70

27.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$0.81 €0.71

162.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.69 €33.85

$18.44 €16.13

109.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.08 €1.82

-0.96%

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

$42.9K €37.6K

$34.7K €30.3K

23.85%

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

$40.2K €35.1K

$39.2K €34.3K

2.56%

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

$284 €248

$148 €130

91.71%

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

$23.59 €20.64

$20.46 €17.90

15.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €50.4

$39.56 €34.61

45.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 €52.1

$47.99 €41.99

24.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 €18.62

$18.60 €16.27

14.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 €13.27

$9.22 €8.07

64.53%

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

$1,338 €1,170

$616 €539

117.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,412 €8,235

$16.4K €14.4K

-42.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €91.1

$103 €89.9

1.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.58 €42.51

$41.74 €36.52

16.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.7

$94.8 €82.9

20.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$122 €107

6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 €2,072

$1,633 €1,428

45.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 €1,748

$1,232 €1,078

62.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,127 €3,611

$3,098 €2,711

33.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 €2,862

$2,031 €1,777

61.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,299 €7,261

$7,831 €6,851

5.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,513 €4,824

$4,389 €3,840

25.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,946 €3,452

$1,607 €1,406

145.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.81

6.04%

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

Last update for Dublin: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,368 in Dublin versus $1,633 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 146% higher in Dublin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $267 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dublin vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,448 in Dublin, $2,291 in Lisbon – roughly 50% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,172 per month in Dublin and $3,437 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,448 in Dublin and $2,291 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,448 in Dublin and $2,291 in Lisbon. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,291 in Lisbon to $3,448 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.