Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Invercargill and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,575 per month in Invercargill vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,457 per month in Invercargill vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Invercargill vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

Invercargill is about 31% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Invercargill and Lisbon sit above the global median – Invercargill by 18%, Lisbon by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 NZ$20.09

$15.75 €13.64

-24.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$124

$63.5 €55.0

14.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 NZ$14.29

$10.45 €9.05

-19.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$5.93

$2.91 €2.52

20.27%

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

$1.75 NZ$2.96

$2.29 €1.98

-23.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 NZ$2.49

$1.50 €1.30

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 NZ$10.32

$3.56 €3.09

71.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 NZ$8.03

$3.96 €3.43

19.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 NZ$2.56

$1.08 €0.94

39.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 NZ$3.06

$1.76 €1.53

2.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.04

$1.70 €1.47

5.29%

Eggs

$5.66 NZ$9.60

$3.25 €2.81

74.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 NZ$13.76

$13.25 €11.47

-38.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.49 NZ$16.09

$7.70 €6.67

23.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 NZ$22.38

$15.77 €13.66

-16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 NZ$4.81

$2.28 €1.97

24.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.00

$1.66 €1.43

42.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 NZ$4.52

$2.02 €1.75

32.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 NZ$6.21

$2.47 €2.14

48.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.36

$1.79 €1.55

10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$2.98

$2.07 €1.79

-14.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 NZ$4.20

$1.97 €1.71

25.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.87

$0.83 €0.72

32.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.35 NZ$37.88

$6.55 €5.68

241.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 NZ$14.33

$5.57 €4.82

51.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.02 NZ$6.81

$1.33 €1.15

202.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 NZ$5.96

$3.01 €2.60

16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 NZ$2.70

$2.27 €1.97

-29.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 NZ$107

$46.35 €40.14

35.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 NZ$3.96

$4.23 €3.66

-44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$0.85 €0.73

121.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.28 NZ$51.3

$18.83 €16.31

60.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$2.02 €1.75

-18.32%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.2K

$35.0K €30.3K

-27.15%

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

$19.8K NZ$33.6K

$39.6K €34.3K

-49.96%

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

$102 NZ$174

$148 €128

-30.81%

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

$36.37 NZ$61.7

$20.52 €17.77

77.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.29 NZ$83.6

$39.52 €34.23

24.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 NZ$50.4

$48.17 €41.72

-38.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 NZ$20.78

$18.39 €15.92

-33.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 NZ$16.52

$9.10 €7.88

7.03%

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

$592 NZ$1,004

$615 €532

-3.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$20.7K

$16.3K €14.1K

-25.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 NZ$113

$102 €88.0

-34.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.28 NZ$59.8

$42.09 €36.45

-16.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 NZ$138

$92.3 €79.9

-11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 NZ$142

$122 €106

-31.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 NZ$1,087

$1,612 €1,396

-60.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 NZ$980

$1,254 €1,086

-53.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 NZ$1,474

$3,069 €2,658

-71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 NZ$1,829

$2,037 €1,764

-47.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,735 NZ$9,722

$7,751 €6,712

-26.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,153 NZ$8,736

$4,286 €3,712

20.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,099 NZ$5,253

$1,602 €1,387

93.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

3.81

80.31%

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

Last update for Invercargill: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Invercargill versus $1,612 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 93% higher in Invercargill, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Invercargill versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 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

Invercargill vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 45% more than Invercargill, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,362 per month in Invercargill and $3,420 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Invercargill and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,575, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Invercargill it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Invercargill costs $1,575 versus $2,280 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Invercargill. 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.