Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Alexandria Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Alexandria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $442 in Alexandria, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $716 in Alexandria, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $989 in Alexandria, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 418% more than Alexandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Alexandria is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$3.64 E£186

344.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$15.94 E£814

297.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$4.76 E£243

116.81%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.49 E£75.9

89.93%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$0.29 E£14.55

689.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.12 E£5.97

1216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.17 E£59.6

190.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.91 E£148

38.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$0.80 E£40.99

36.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.75 E£38.24

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.70 E£35.75

151.43%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.45 E£74.2

118.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$3.89 E£199

239.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$4.40 E£225

81.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$9.74 E£497

59.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.49 E£75.9

59.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.53 E£27.18

222.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$0.39 E£20.08

415.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.36 E£18.47

575.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.37 E£18.94

375.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.43 E£21.99

372.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.24 E£12.29

700.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.20 E£10.09

325.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.00 E£102

229.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$6.06 E£309

-7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.35 E£68.9

-1.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.65 E£135

12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.18 E£8.94

1166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$13.58 E£693

237.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$0.55 E£28.23

669.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.46 E£23.42

76.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$1.95 E£99.5

845.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$0.30 E£15.55

593.33%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$35.1K E£1.8M

-1.13%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$33.0K E£1.7M

18.68%

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

$148 €130

$11.24 E£574

1217.17%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$5.81 E£296

252.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$9.89 E£505

300.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$13.00 E£664

269.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$6.85 E£350

171.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$2.93 E£149

214.68%

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

$616 €540

$89.5 E£4,569

588.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$1,885 E£96.2K

772.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$27.10 E£1,383

278.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$49.05 E£2,504

-14.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$109 E£5,582

-13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$51.3 E£2,617

138.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$108 E£5,511

1412.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$67.1 E£3,426

1736.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$247 E£12.6K

1155.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$134 E£6,820

1420.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$717 E£36.6K

992.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$460 E£23.5K

854.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$137 E£7,012

1070.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-77.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $108 in Alexandria. 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 1070% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $16.00 in Alexandria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $131 – making Alexandria 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

Lisbon vs Alexandria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 418% more than Alexandria, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $664 in Alexandria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $89.5 in Alexandria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 105% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandria, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Alexandria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandria costs $442 versus $2,291 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 Alexandria. 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.