🙂A single person spends $1,970 per month in Folkestone vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $3,055 per month in Folkestone vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $4,140 per month in Folkestone vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.
🙂Folkestone is about 15% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Folkestone and Lisbon sit above the global median – Folkestone by 43%, Lisbon by 69%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.90£13.24
$17.30€14.89
3.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.8£50.9
$63.3€54.5
8.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.94£8.09
$11.39€9.81
-3.95%
Cappuccino
$4.75£3.51
$3.19€2.75
48.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68£1.98
$2.45€2.11
9.39%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81£1.34
$1.76€1.52
2.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.08£5.24
$3.59€3.09
97.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.60£4.88
$3.39€2.92
94.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56£1.15
$1.24€1.06
25.81%
White Bread(500g)
$1.34£0.99
$1.98€1.71
-32.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.33£0.98
$1.52€1.31
-12.50%
Eggs
$3.22£2.38
$4.04€3.48
-20.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.93£7.35
$13.54€11.65
-26.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.95£5.88
$8.39€7.22
-5.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.10£11.17
$18.25€15.71
-17.26%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23£2.39
$2.29€1.97
41.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49£1.10
$1.74€1.50
-14.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.86£2.11
$1.86€1.60
53.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.26£2.41
$2.63€2.26
23.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.70£1.26
$1.92€1.65
-11.46%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49£1.10
$2.09€1.80
-28.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.74£1.29
$1.44€1.24
20.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52£1.13
$0.84€0.72
80.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$23.71£17.54
$6.78€5.84
249.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.04£8.17
$5.71€4.92
93.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73£2.02
$1.38€1.18
97.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74£2.77
$2.22€1.91
68.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.70£1.99
$2.40€2.07
12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.68£24.92
$46.78€40.27
-28.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.40£1.03
$4.17€3.59
-66.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.70£1.26
$1.14€0.98
49.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.22£16.44
$17.68€15.22
25.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02£1.50
$2.32€2.00
-12.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K£27.9K
$35.3K€30.4K
6.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.8K£31.0K
$41.4K€35.7K
0.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$249£185
$170€147
46.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.87£13.96
$19.34€16.65
-2.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.42£30.64
$33.64€28.96
23.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$73.1£54.1
$48.10€41.40
51.98%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.08£7.46
$19.90€17.13
-49.35%
Cinema Ticket
$21.35£15.80
$9.92€8.54
115.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,086£804
$717€617
51.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.1K£14.9K
$17.5K€15.0K
15.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.2£52.7
$105€90.2
-32.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69£21.23
$46.95€40.41
-38.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.3£58.7
$103€89.0
-23.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.5£38.86
$124€107
-57.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,161£859
$1,677€1,443
-30.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$818£605
$1,271€1,094
-35.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,504£1,112
$2,985€2,569
-49.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,640£1,213
$1,992€1,715
-17.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,465£2,563
$7,826€6,737
-55.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,476£2,571
$4,658€4,010
-25.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Folkestone
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,583€1,362
-
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 Folkestone: August 29, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,161 in Folkestone 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Folkestone versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $283 – 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
Folkestone vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Folkestone and in Lisbon compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,970 in Folkestone, $2,316 in Lisbon – roughly 18% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Folkestone compared to Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,954 per month in Folkestone and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Folkestone and Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Folkestone, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Folkestone and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Folkestone or Lisbon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,970 in Folkestone and $2,316 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Folkestone, where all-in costs run around $1,970, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Folkestone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Folkestone and Lisbon?
It depends on your priorities. Folkestone has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,970 in Folkestone to $2,316 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Folkestone or Lisbon safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Folkestone and Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Folkestone. 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.
Folkestone vs other spots: cost of living compared