Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Adelaide

For one person, living is cheaper in Lisbon: $2,202 a month against $2,640 in Adelaide, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Adelaide
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Adelaide

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,640 in Adelaide.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Adelaide $2,640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $3,759 in Adelaide.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Adelaide $3,759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $4,878 in Adelaide.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Adelaide $4,878

Living in Lisbon costs roughly 17% less than in Adelaide, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Adelaide 95% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$17.10 A$24.61
-0.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$80.5 A$116
-22.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$11.64 A$16.75
-5.33%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.05 A$5.83
-22.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.78 A$4.00
-18.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.55 A$3.68
-31.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$7.79 A$11.20
-56.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$8.26 A$11.89
-54.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.98 A$2.85
-40.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.78 A$4.00
-33.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$2.24 A$3.23
-31.25%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$5.69 A$8.19
-28.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$11.77 A$16.94
9.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$9.20 A$13.24
-14.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$18.97 A$27.29
-7.01%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.94 A$5.67
-42.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$3.03 A$4.36
-42.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$3.63 A$5.22
-47.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$5.06 A$7.28
-49.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$3.20 A$4.60
-42.19%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.47 A$3.56
-20.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$2.49 A$3.58
-41.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.31 A$3.33
-66.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$45.26 A$65.1
-85.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$13.93 A$20.05
-59.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$5.52 A$7.94
-75.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$5.91 A$8.51
-64.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$3.20 A$4.61
-27.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$83.6 A$120
-46.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$3.53 A$5.07
11.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.98 A$2.85
-46.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$31.11 A$44.77
-44.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.41 A$2.03
55.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$29.3K A$42.2K
15.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$25.7K A$36.9K
49.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$192 A$276
-14.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$25.71 A$36.99
-28.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$56.7 A$81.6
-41.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$63.0 A$90.6
-27.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$14.06 A$20.24
32.86%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$17.14 A$24.67
-43.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$2,072 A$2,982
-66.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$14.3K A$20.5K
23.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$70.3 A$101
47.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$54.9 A$78.9
-15.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$115 A$165
-12.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$135 A$195
-7.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$1,713 A$2,466
-7.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$1,278 A$1,839
-8.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$2,431 A$3,498
17.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$1,833 A$2,637
8.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$10.1K A$14.5K
-22.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$6,880 A$9,901
-35.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Adelaide
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$3,830 A$5,511
-58.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.92
-34.97%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Adelaide: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Adelaide
$1.3K 9.3% $109
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Adelaide
$415 51.9% $142
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Adelaide
$297 20.1% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Adelaide
$274 27.4% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Adelaide
$169 0.2% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Adelaide
$97 48.7% $32
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Adelaide
$110 74.6% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $1,713 in Adelaide. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Adelaide pays 139% 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: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $81.0 in Adelaide for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $415 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇦🇺 Adelaide
🕒 Local time
05:38 5:38 AM
15:08 3:08 PM
9 h 30 min ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
1,245,011
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Adelaide 17,130 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Adelaide

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
Lisbon vs Adelaide: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Adelaide?
Lisbon and Adelaide differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,202 vs $2,640 including rent). Lisbon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 139% lower in Adelaide. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Adelaide?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $1,713 in Adelaide. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Adelaide?
Childcare runs $684 in Lisbon versus $2,072 in Adelaide. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Adelaide. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,202 in Lisbon versus $2,640 in Adelaide, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Lisbon but tight or insufficient in Adelaide. The gap between the two cities makes Lisbon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Adelaide?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lisbon or Adelaide safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Adelaide are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Adelaide?
Expats usually find Lisbon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Adelaide. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lisbon vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?