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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $836 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,383 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,929 in Alexandria.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 166% more expensive than Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Alexandria is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$9.31 RON 40.59

73.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$32.78 RON 143

96.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$6.73 RON 29.36

54.23%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.86 RON 8.10

48.92%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.98 RON 8.62

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.65 RON 7.21

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.33 RON 10.15

49.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.72 RON 11.86

47.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.34 RON 5.86

-19.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.27 RON 5.55

37.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.35 RON 5.88

28.89%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$1.40 RON 6.08

127.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$5.22 RON 22.74

157.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$4.55 RON 19.84

75.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$8.64 RON 37.67

86.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.96 RON 4.20

137.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.59 RON 6.91

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.18 RON 5.13

64.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.12 RON 4.89

126.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.45 RON 1.96

306.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.66 RON 2.87

209.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.45 RON 1.96

340.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.66 RON 2.87

28.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$5.68 RON 24.77

20.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$5.71 RON 24.91

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.66 RON 2.87

107.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$0.95 RON 4.15

205.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.66 RON 2.87

245.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$22.98 RON 100

103.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$0.47 RON 2.07

768.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.43 RON 1.88

90.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$5.19 RON 22.64

252.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.64 RON 7.15

22.56%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$17.5K RON 76.5K

100.96%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$23.7K RON 103.3K

62.49%

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

$145 €124

$118 RON 513

23.58%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$6.76 RON 29.49

210.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$6.84 RON 29.83

485.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$38.37 RON 167

27.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$9.32 RON 40.62

100.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$4.72 RON 20.60

91.95%

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

$607 €519

$437 RON 1,904

38.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$6,929 RON 30.2K

135.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$68.1 RON 297

53.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$34.32 RON 150

19.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$70.3 RON 307

33.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$67.9 RON 296

74.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$344 RON 1,499

366.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$231 RON 1,008

434.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$794 RON 3,464

283.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$581 RON 2,534

253.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,381 RON 6,019

458.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$875 RON 3,813

387.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,349 RON 5,880

17.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,604 in Lisbon and $344 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 17% 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: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $33.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $155 per month, with Alexandria cheaper across the board.

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

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 166% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,604 in Lisbon versus $344 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,227 per month in Lisbon versus $836 in Alexandria – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 104% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Alexandria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.