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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $469 in Alexandria, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $763 in Alexandria, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,058 in Alexandria, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 394% more than Alexandria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Alexandria is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$4.26 E£217

306.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$16.49 E£839

283.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$4.76 E£242

139.29%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.29 E£65.7

147.29%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.32 E£16.05

665.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.13 E£6.74

1253.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.34 E£68.3

167.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.87 E£146

18.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.91 E£46.42

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.71 E£36.17

178.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.61 E£31.19

149.18%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.18 E£59.9

242.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$3.77 E£192

259.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.59 E£233

82.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$9.48 E£483

92.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.61 E£81.7

42.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.79 E£40.04

120.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.54 E£27.66

244.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.39 E£19.74

574.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.27 E£13.81

611.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.33 E£16.90

533.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.27 E£13.55

433.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.20 E£10.16

320.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.95 E£99.2

247.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$6.02 E£306

-5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.27 E£64.6

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.77 E£141

-19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.20 E£10.21

1100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$12.93 E£658

261.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.56 E£28.53

644.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.46 E£23.29

147.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$2.00 E£102

784.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.45 E£22.68

415.56%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$32.8K E£1.7M

7.61%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$28.6K E£1.5M

45.01%

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

$170 €147

$14.31 E£728

1090.29%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$7.45 E£379

159.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$13.99 E£712

140.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$12.38 E£630

288.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$7.71 E£392

158.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$3.01 E£153

229.57%

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

$717 €617

$84.6 E£4,306

747.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$2,193 E£111.6K

696.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$32.88 E£1,673

218.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$44.58 E£2,268

5.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$127 E£6,477

-18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$55.0 E£2,799

125.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$139 E£7,096

1102.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$73.1 E£3,719

1638.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$277 E£14.1K

976.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$147 E£7,462

1258.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$723 E£36.8K

982.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$452 E£23.0K

929.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$145 E£7,356

994.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

21.33

-82.23%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $139 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 995% 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: $283 vs $132 – 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 394% 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 $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $703 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 $717 per month in Lisbon and $84.6 in Alexandria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 114% 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 $469, than in Lisbon at $2,316. 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 $469 versus $2,316 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.