Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kotor and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Kotor: $1,543 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kotor
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,543
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kotor and in Lisbon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kotor and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,543 in Kotor versus $2,202 in Lisbon.

  • Kotor $1,543
  • Lisbon $2,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Kotor versus $3,274 in Lisbon.

  • Kotor $2,446
  • Lisbon $3,274

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,350 in Kotor versus $4,346 in Lisbon.

  • Kotor $3,350
  • Lisbon $4,346

Living in Kotor costs roughly 30% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kotor 14% above, Lisbon 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.27 €10.03
$17.04 €15.15
-33.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.7 €53.1
$62.3 €55.4
-4.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.34 €10.08
$11.02 €9.80
2.90%
Cappuccino
$3.22 €2.86
$3.12 €2.78
3.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 €2.22
$2.27 €2.02
10.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 €1.30
$1.74 €1.55
-15.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.02 €2.69
$3.42 €3.04
-11.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 €3.70
$3.74 €3.33
11.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.18
$1.17 €1.04
13.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.93 €0.83
$1.86 €1.66
-50.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.54 €1.37
28.57%
Eggs
$3.57 €3.18
$4.06 €3.61
-12.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.78 €7.81
$12.91 €11.49
-31.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 €7.55
$7.90 €7.03
7.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 €11.18
$17.64 €15.69
-28.74%
Apples (1kg)
$1.27 €1.13
$2.26 €2.01
-43.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 €1.49
$1.75 €1.55
-4.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.89 €1.68
-17.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$2.56 €2.27
-5.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 €0.79
$1.85 €1.64
-52.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 €0.95
$1.97 €1.75
-45.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.45 €1.29
-0.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 €0.76
$0.77 €0.69
11.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 €3.92
$6.71 €5.97
-34.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.95 €7.07
$5.67 €5.04
40.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 €1.01
$1.37 €1.22
-17.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 €1.55
$2.11 €1.88
-17.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.66 €1.48
$2.32 €2.07
-28.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.59 €39.67
$44.43 €39.52
0.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.79 €0.70
$3.95 €3.51
-80.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 €0.97
$1.05 €0.93
3.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.32 €10.07
$17.15 €15.26
-33.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.52
$2.19 €1.95
-22.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K €24.5K
$33.8K €30.0K
-18.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K €21.2K
$38.3K €34.0K
-37.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$128 €113
$164 €146
-22.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.30 €15.39
$18.48 €16.43
-6.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.15 €28.60
$32.96 €29.32
-2.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.75 €40.69
$45.87 €40.80
-0.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.82 €17.63
$18.68 €16.61
6.10%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30 €5.60
$9.75 €8.67
-35.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 €298
$684 €608
-51.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,192 €6,398
$17.6K €15.7K
-59.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.9 €79.0
$104 €92.3
-14.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.84 €39.88
$46.20 €41.09
-2.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 €85.4
$99.7 €88.7
-3.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 €95.0
$125 €111
-14.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$683 €607
$1,589 €1,414
-57.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 €591
$1,169 €1,040
-43.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,343 €1,195
$2,851 €2,536
-52.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 €1,176
$1,993 €1,773
-33.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,875 €3,447
$7,793 €6,932
-50.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,840 €2,526
$4,418 €3,930
-35.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kotor
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$950 €845
$1,600 €1,423
-40.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.95
3.85
54.55%

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

Last update for Kotor: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kotor
$665
Lisbon
$1.2K 75.8% $504
Groceries & Markets
Kotor
$232
Lisbon
$273 17.8% $41
Eating Out
Kotor
$202
Lisbon
$247 22.5% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kotor
$177
Lisbon
$215 21.6% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Kotor
$151
Lisbon
$168 11.3% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Kotor
$58
Lisbon
$65 12.1% $7
Getting Around
Kotor
$57
Lisbon
$63 9.5% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Kotor and $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 68% 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: $60.0 in Kotor vs $62.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $273 per month, with Kotor cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇪 Kotor
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
14:14 2:14 PM
13:14 1:14 PM
1 h behind Kotor
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,000
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kotor Lisbon 2,380 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kotor
  • Lisbon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kotor vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lisbon cheaper than Kotor?
Kotor is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Kotor or Lisbon?
On paper, salaries run 68% 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.
What is the rent difference between Kotor and Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $683 in Kotor versus $1,589 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $335 in Kotor versus $684 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Kotor and in Lisbon?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Kotor or in Lisbon?
At $1,543 in Kotor versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kotor but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Kotor the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kotor or Lisbon more family-friendly?
For families, Kotor 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.
Which city is safer, Kotor or Lisbon?
Safety-wise, Kotor 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 Kotor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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