Cost of Living Comparison Between Esmeraldas and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Esmeraldas and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $906 in Esmeraldas versus $2,280 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,395 in Esmeraldas versus $3,294 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,884 in Esmeraldas versus $4,307 in Lisbon.

Living in Esmeraldas costs roughly 60% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Esmeraldas is 32% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 $3.94

$15.75 €13.64

-74.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.64 $33.64

$63.5 €55.0

-47.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 $4.08

$10.45 €9.05

-60.96%

Cappuccino

$2.79 $2.79

$2.91 €2.52

-4.12%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$2.29 €1.98

-78.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.50 €1.30

-68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.56 €3.09

-44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.96 €3.43

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 €0.94

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.76 €1.53

-14.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.70 €1.47

5.88%

Eggs

$1.48 $1.48

$3.25 €2.81

-54.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$13.25 €11.47

-35.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$7.70 €6.67

2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$15.77 €13.66

-47.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.28 €1.97

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.66 €1.43

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.02 €1.75

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.47 €2.14

-46.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.79 €1.55

-19.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.07 €1.79

-46.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.97 €1.71

-73.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.83 €0.72

28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 $6.04

$6.55 €5.68

-7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$5.57 €4.82

76.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.33 €1.15

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.01 €2.60

-4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$2.27 €1.97

-85.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.75 $23.75

$46.35 €40.14

-48.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$4.23 €3.66

-65.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.85 €0.73

49.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 $9.95

$18.83 €16.31

-47.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$2.02 €1.75

-65.35%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$35.0K €30.3K

-43.33%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$39.6K €34.3K

-35.28%

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

$34.10 $34.10

$148 €128

-76.95%

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

$14.56 $14.56

$20.52 €17.77

-29.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.51 $29.51

$39.52 €34.23

-25.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.34 $30.34

$48.17 €41.72

-37.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

$18.39 €15.92

-19.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 $6.82

$9.10 €7.88

-25.05%

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

$279 $279

$615 €532

-54.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,512 $8,512

$16.3K €14.1K

-47.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 $57.6

$102 €88.0

-43.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.19 $43.19

$42.09 €36.45

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$92.3 €79.9

11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 $84.5

$122 €106

-30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$1,612 €1,396

-78.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$1,254 €1,086

-75.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 $619

$3,069 €2,658

-79.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$2,037 €1,764

-75.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 $1,080

$7,751 €6,712

-86.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$832 $832

$4,286 €3,712

-80.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$456 $456

$1,602 €1,387

-71.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

3.81

193.70%

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

Last update for Esmeraldas: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Esmeraldas and $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 251% 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: $34.00 in Esmeraldas vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $267 per month, with Esmeraldas 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

Esmeraldas vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 251% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Esmeraldas versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $906 in Esmeraldas versus $2,280 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Esmeraldas 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 Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.