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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,449 per month in Invercargill vs $2,296 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,182 per month in Invercargill vs $3,376 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,916 per month in Invercargill vs $4,457 in Lisbon, rent included.

Invercargill is about 37% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Invercargill and Lisbon sit above the global median – Invercargill by 6%, Lisbon by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.58 NZ$25.48

$17.59 €15.33

-17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 NZ$110

$62.9 €54.8

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 NZ$15.03

$11.58 €10.10

-25.73%

Cappuccino

$3.24 NZ$5.67

$3.10 €2.70

4.52%

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

$1.77 NZ$3.10

$2.49 €2.17

-28.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.64

$1.74 €1.52

19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 NZ$5.11

$3.48 €3.03

-15.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 NZ$4.90

$3.44 €3.00

-18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.15 €1.00

50.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 NZ$3.26

$1.91 €1.66

-2.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.07

$1.50 €1.31

17.33%

Eggs

$5.78 NZ$10.10

$3.98 €3.47

45.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 NZ$14.80

$13.29 €11.59

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.55

$8.01 €6.98

10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 NZ$21.46

$18.04 €15.73

-31.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 NZ$4.70

$2.35 €2.05

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 NZ$4.21

$1.75 €1.53

37.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 NZ$4.57

$1.85 €1.62

41.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 NZ$6.28

$2.55 €2.22

40.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$1.84 €1.61

73.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$2.10 €1.83

-17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 NZ$4.22

$1.49 €1.30

61.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.95

$0.82 €0.71

35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.83 NZ$31.17

$7.10 €6.19

151.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 NZ$14.85

$5.91 €5.15

43.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 NZ$5.37

$1.31 €1.15

134.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NZ$5.85

$2.13 €1.86

57.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 NZ$2.57

$2.36 €2.05

-37.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 NZ$3.94

$4.08 €3.55

-44.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$1.14 €0.99

72.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.93 NZ$50.6

$17.09 €14.90

69.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.90

$2.31 €2.01

-28.14%

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

$24.1K NZ$42.1K

$34.1K €29.7K

-29.38%

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

$18.9K NZ$33.1K

$41.4K €36.1K

-54.21%

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

$114 NZ$199

$169 €147

-32.51%

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

$32.46 NZ$56.8

$19.33 €16.85

67.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.31 NZ$75.7

$33.51 €29.21

29.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.25 NZ$49.39

$48.84 €42.57

-42.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 NZ$24.80

$19.43 €16.94

-27.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 NZ$15.94

$9.57 €8.34

-4.70%

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

$596 NZ$1,042

$696 €607

-14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 NZ$105

$105 €91.8

-42.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 NZ$63.2

$47.75 €41.62

-24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 NZ$127

$101 €87.6

-27.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 NZ$144

$124 €108

-33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 NZ$1,064

$1,662 €1,449

-63.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 NZ$999

$1,246 €1,086

-54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 NZ$1,495

$2,965 €2,584

-71.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 NZ$1,384

$2,049 €1,786

-61.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,751 NZ$10.1K

$7,834 €6,829

-26.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,151 NZ$9,004

$4,464 €3,892

15.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,834 NZ$4,954

$1,632 €1,422

73.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

3.78

77.78%

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

Last update for Invercargill: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $609 in Invercargill versus $1,662 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 74% 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 $63.0 in Invercargill versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Invercargill vs $277 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

Invercargill vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 58% more than Invercargill, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Invercargill and $3,444 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,449 in Invercargill and $2,296 in Lisbon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $596 per month in Invercargill and $696 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Invercargill, where all-in costs run around $1,449, than in Lisbon at $2,296. 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 $1,449 versus $2,296 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.