Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort William and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort William and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,532 in Fort William versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Fort William versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,772 in Fort William versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Fort William is roughly 9% more expensive than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort William 84% above, Lisbon 69% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.55 £15.20
$17.30 €14.89
18.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.0 £65.9
$63.3 €54.5
40.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.78 £7.98
$11.39 €9.81
-5.36%
Cappuccino
$4.71 £3.48
$3.19 €2.75
47.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 £1.96
$2.45 €2.11
8.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 £1.50
$1.76 €1.52
15.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.75 £5.00
$3.59 €3.09
88.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.89 £5.10
$3.39 €2.92
103.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 £1.13
$1.24 €1.06
23.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 £1.38
$1.98 €1.71
-6.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 £1.41
$1.52 €1.31
25.00%
Eggs
$3.65 £2.70
$4.04 €3.48
-9.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.84 £6.54
$13.54 €11.65
-34.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.68 £7.90
$8.39 €7.22
27.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.67 £11.59
$18.25 €15.71
-14.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 £2.23
$2.29 €1.97
31.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 £1.04
$1.74 €1.50
-19.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 £1.56
$1.86 €1.60
13.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.91 £2.89
$2.63 €2.26
48.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 £0.87
$1.92 €1.65
-39.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.40 £1.03
$2.09 €1.80
-33.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 £0.97
$1.44 €1.24
-9.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 £1.22
$0.84 €0.72
96.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$21.48 £15.89
$6.78 €5.84
216.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.25 £8.32
$5.71 €4.92
97.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.72 £2.02
$1.38 €1.18
97.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 £2.33
$2.22 €1.91
41.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.65 £2.70
$2.40 €2.07
52.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.8 £70.2
$46.78 €40.27
102.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.17 £3.08
$4.17 €3.59
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 £1.82
$1.14 €0.98
115.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.18 £17.89
$17.68 €15.22
36.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.07 £1.53
$2.32 €2.00
-10.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K £28.6K
$35.3K €30.4K
9.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.3K £30.6K
$41.4K €35.7K
-0.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$390 £288
$170 €147
128.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.91 £22.13
$19.34 €16.65
54.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.10 £33.36
$33.64 €28.96
34.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.61 £35.22
$48.10 €41.40
-1.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.90 €17.13
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.79 £8.72
$9.92 €8.54
18.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,803 £1,334
$717 €617
151.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.1K £17.8K
$17.5K €15.0K
37.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100 £74.2
$105 €90.2
-4.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.08 £36.31
$46.95 €40.41
4.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £78.3
$103 €89.0
2.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 £87.5
$124 €107
-4.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,256 £929
$1,677 €1,443
-25.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 £766
$1,271 €1,094
-18.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,141 £1,584
$2,985 €2,569
-28.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,705 £1,262
$1,992 €1,715
-14.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,275 £3,903
$7,826 €6,737
-32.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,675 £2,719
$4,658 €4,010
-21.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fort William
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,062 £1,525
$1,583 €1,362
30.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.11
3.79
34.83%

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

Last update for Fort William: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,256 in Fort William and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort William pays 30% 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: $89.0 in Fort William vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $283 per month, with Lisbon 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
Fort William vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lisbon cheaper than Fort William?
Lisbon is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Fort William or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 30% higher in Fort William, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Fort William and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,256 in Fort William versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Fort William and in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Fort William. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Fort William or in Lisbon?
Dining out is cheaper in Lisbon – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $89.0 in Fort William. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Fort William or in Lisbon?
At $2,316 in Lisbon versus $2,532 in Fort William, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Fort William. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Fort William or Lisbon more family-friendly?
For families, Lisbon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fort William, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Fort William or Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Fort William 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Fort William. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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