Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Leicester and Lisbon

For one person, living costs are similar in Leicester and in Lisbon: $2,172 and $2,223 a month, rent and utilities included.

Leicester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,172
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Leicester 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 Leicester and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,172 per month in Leicester vs $2,223 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Leicester $2,172
  • Lisbon $2,223

A couple spends around $3,104 per month in Leicester vs $3,271 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Leicester $3,104
  • Lisbon $3,271

A family of three spends $4,036 per month in Leicester vs $4,319 in Lisbon, rent included.

  • Leicester $4,036
  • Lisbon $4,319

Leicester is about 2% cheaper than Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Leicester and Lisbon sit above the global median – Leicester by 61%, Lisbon by 65%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.12 £16.60
$16.50 €14.67
34.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.9 £49.46
$61.3 €54.5
7.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.19 £6.89
$11.27 €10.03
-18.46%
Cappuccino
$4.65 £3.49
$3.06 €2.72
51.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 £1.72
$2.26 €2.01
1.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 £0.97
$1.73 €1.54
-25.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.79 £5.09
$3.39 €3.02
100.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.35 £4.01
$3.40 €3.02
57.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 £1.24
$1.12 €1.00
47.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 £1.19
$1.86 €1.65
-14.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 £1.63
$1.53 €1.36
41.83%
Eggs
$4.03 £3.02
$3.96 €3.53
1.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.80 £7.35
$12.76 €11.35
-23.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 £6.33
$7.90 €7.02
6.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.36 £10.77
$16.97 €15.09
-15.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 £2.19
$2.27 €2.02
28.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 £1.10
$1.75 €1.55
-16.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 £2.02
$1.85 €1.64
45.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.64 £2.73
$2.57 €2.28
41.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.50 £1.12
$1.86 €1.65
-19.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.52 £1.14
$2.02 €1.80
-24.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 £0.90
$1.44 €1.28
-16.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 £1.12
$0.82 €0.73
81.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.97 £15.73
$6.56 €5.83
219.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.08 £8.31
$5.62 €5.00
97.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 £1.89
$1.28 €1.14
96.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 £2.34
$2.07 €1.84
50.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.00 £3.00
$2.35 €2.09
70.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$99.2 £74.4
$44.18 €39.30
124.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 £3.67
$3.99 €3.55
22.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.98 £2.98
$1.09 €0.97
265.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.64 €14.81
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 £1.56
$2.28 €2.03
-8.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K £28.8K
$33.7K €30.0K
14.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.7K
$39.3K €35.0K
4.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$311 £234
$167 €149
85.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.29 £12.22
$18.80 €16.72
-13.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.51 £32.64
$33.09 €29.43
31.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.27 £24.21
$46.01 €40.93
-29.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.79 £19.35
$19.19 €17.07
34.39%
Cinema Ticket
$11.96 £8.98
$9.84 €8.75
21.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,256 £942
$677 €602
85.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.5K £19.9K
$16.9K €15.1K
56.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.8 £61.4
$101 €90.1
-19.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.77 £31.34
$45.76 €40.70
-8.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 £79.7
$100.0 €88.9
6.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 £81.0
$123 €109
-12.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 £747
$1,614 €1,436
-38.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$838 £629
$1,197 €1,065
-30.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,716 £1,288
$2,862 €2,545
-40.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 £917
$1,990 €1,770
-38.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,031 £3,775
$7,577 €6,740
-33.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,465 £2,599
$4,307 €3,831
-19.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Leicester
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,764 £2,074
$1,588 €1,412
74.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.85
38.44%

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

Last update for Leicester: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Leicester
$838
Lisbon
$1.2K 42.9% $359
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Leicester
$371
Lisbon
$219 40.9% $152
Eating Out
Leicester
$319
Lisbon
$242 24.2% $77
Groceries & Markets
Leicester
$295
Lisbon
$269 8.8% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Leicester
$152
Lisbon
$166 9.5% $14
Getting Around
Leicester
$140
Lisbon
$63 55% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Leicester
$56
Lisbon
$66 16.9% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Leicester versus $1,614 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 Leicester, 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 $66.0 in Leicester versus $61.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $269 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Leicester
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
06:07 6:07 AM
06:07 6:07 AM
Same time as Leicester
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
305,700
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Leicester Lisbon 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Leicester
  • 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
Leicester vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Leicester or Lisbon?
Lisbon costs about 2% more than Leicester, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Leicester and in Lisbon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,258 per month in Leicester and $3,335 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Leicester or Lisbon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Leicester, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Leicester or in Lisbon?
Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
How do dining costs compare in Leicester and in Lisbon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Leicester and $61.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Leicester or in Lisbon?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Leicester, where all-in costs run around $2,172, than in Lisbon at $2,223. In Leicester it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Leicester or Lisbon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leicester costs $2,172 versus $2,223 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Leicester compared to Lisbon?
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.
Should I move to Leicester or to Lisbon?
If budget matters most, go with Leicester. 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.

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