Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between El Medano and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,344 per month in El Medano vs $2,291 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,590 per month in El Medano vs $3,322 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,835 per month in El Medano vs $4,354 in Lisbon, rent included.

El Medano is about 41% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both El Medano and Lisbon sit above the global median – El Medano by 1%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.62 €15.42

$16.19 €14.17

8.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 €49.73

$63.3 €55.4

-10.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 €9.06

$10.32 €9.03

0.39%

Cappuccino

$2.04 €1.78

$2.83 €2.48

-27.92%

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

$1.84 €1.61

$2.29 €2.00

-19.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 €0.90

$1.58 €1.38

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 €2.50

$3.40 €2.98

-15.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 €2.82

$4.03 €3.52

-19.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$1.09 €0.95

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.75 €1.53

1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.76 €1.54

-13.64%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.71

$3.17 €2.77

-2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 €13.36

$13.19 €11.54

15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 €7.25

$7.97 €6.97

4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 €12.89

$15.53 €13.59

-5.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 €2.10

$2.37 €2.07

0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.71 €1.49

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$2.01 €1.76

-20.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$2.43 €2.13

4.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 €1.36

$1.76 €1.54

-11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 €1.48

$2.03 €1.78

-16.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.92 €1.68

-22.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.57

$0.85 €0.74

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 €4.48

$6.58 €5.76

-22.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 €6.97

$5.58 €4.88

42.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.33 €1.17

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.20

$2.97 €2.60

-53.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 €1.44

$2.28 €1.99

-27.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.58 €15.38

$45.79 €40.06

-61.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 €4.11

$4.23 €3.70

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.16

$0.81 €0.71

64.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 €14.97

$18.44 €16.13

-7.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.13

$2.08 €1.82

-37.98%

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

$27.7K €24.2K

$34.7K €30.3K

-20.18%

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

$29.7K €26.0K

$39.2K €34.3K

-24.22%

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

$88.7 €77.6

$148 €130

-40.09%

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

$21.20 €18.55

$20.46 €17.90

3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 €26.69

$39.56 €34.61

-22.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.32 €40.52

$47.99 €41.99

-3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 €13.19

$18.60 €16.27

-18.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.84

$9.22 €8.07

9.54%

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

$343 €300

$616 €539

-44.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,411 €7,358

$16.4K €14.4K

-48.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.8 €72.5

$103 €89.9

-19.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 €29.10

$41.74 €36.52

-20.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 €75.5

$94.8 €82.9

-8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 €61.3

$122 €107

-42.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 €924

$1,633 €1,428

-35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 €423

$1,232 €1,078

-60.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 €1,603

$3,098 €2,711

-40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 €1,616

$2,031 €1,777

-9.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,692 €3,230

$7,831 €6,851

-52.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,505 €2,192

$4,389 €3,840

-42.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.81

-8.14%

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

Last update for El Medano: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,056 in El Medano 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in El Medano versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $270 in El Medano vs $267 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

El Medano vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,344 in El Medano, $2,291 in Lisbon – roughly 70% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,017 per month in El Medano 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 El Medano, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $343 per month in El Medano and $616 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Medano, where all-in costs run around $1,344, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In El Medano it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,344 in El Medano to $2,291 in Lisbon. 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 El Medano. 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.