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: $2,296 in Lisbon versus $902 in Alexandria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,376 in Lisbon versus $1,401 in Alexandria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Lisbon versus $1,900 in Alexandria.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 154% more expensive than in Alexandria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Alexandria is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$8.89 RON 40.78

97.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$31.83 RON 146

97.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$7.90 RON 36.24

46.58%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$1.74 RON 7.97

78.16%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$1.91 RON 8.78

30.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$1.57 RON 7.19

10.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$2.24 RON 10.28

55.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$2.65 RON 12.17

29.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.51 RON 6.92

-23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$0.85 RON 3.92

124.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.18 RON 5.41

27.12%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$2.19 RON 10.05

81.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$5.31 RON 24.38

150.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.55 RON 20.88

76.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$8.08 RON 37.07

123.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$0.94 RON 4.29

150.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.20 RON 5.49

45.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.01 RON 4.63

83.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.03 RON 4.73

147.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.69 RON 3.18

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.64 RON 2.95

228.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.75 RON 3.42

98.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.91 RON 4.15

-9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$5.51 RON 25.27

28.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$5.37 RON 24.64

10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.96 RON 4.40

36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.11 RON 5.10

91.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.68 RON 3.12

247.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

$43.97 RON 202

6.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$0.45 RON 2.08

806.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$0.45 RON 2.08

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$5.66 RON 25.97

201.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.72 RON 7.90

34.30%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$16.9K RON 77.5K

101.96%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$24.3K RON 111.4K

70.37%

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

$169 €147

$120 RON 549

40.92%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$5.56 RON 25.52

247.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$8.20 RON 37.64

308.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$61.4 RON 282

-20.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

$26.11 RON 120

-25.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$6.54 RON 29.99

46.33%

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

$696 €607

$323 RON 1,483

115.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$7,000 RON 32.1K

147.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$55.3 RON 254

90.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$23.39 RON 107

104.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$66.4 RON 304

51.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$65.1 RON 299

91.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$323 RON 1,484

413.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$253 RON 1,160

392.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$597 RON 2,740

396.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$443 RON 2,032

362.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

$1,315 RON 6,032

495.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

$829 RON 3,802

438.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$886 RON 4,064

84.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.73

-43.83%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Alexandria: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,662 in Lisbon and $323 in Alexandria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 84% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $32.00 in Alexandria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $156 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 154% 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.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,662 in Lisbon versus $323 in Alexandria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,296 per month in Lisbon versus $902 in Alexandria – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 6% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $902 in Alexandria versus $2,296 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 $902 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 154% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.