Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Alice Springs

For one person, living is cheaper in Alice Springs: $1,798 a month against $2,202 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,202
/mo nomad
Alice Springs
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,798
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Alice Springs

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 Alice Springs actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,202 in Lisbon versus $1,798 in Alice Springs.

  • Lisbon $2,202
  • Alice Springs $1,798

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,274 in Lisbon versus $2,720 in Alice Springs.

  • Lisbon $3,274
  • Alice Springs $2,720

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,346 in Lisbon versus $3,641 in Alice Springs.

  • Lisbon $4,346
  • Alice Springs $3,641

Living in Lisbon is roughly 22% more expensive than in Alice Springs, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lisbon 62% above, Alice Springs 33% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.04 €15.15
$17.27 A$24.85
-1.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 €55.4
$83.0 A$119
-24.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.02 €9.80
$10.70 A$15.40
2.99%
Cappuccino
$3.12 €2.78
$4.28 A$6.16
-27.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 €2.02
$2.87 A$4.13
-20.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$2.82 A$4.06
-38.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.42 €3.04
$6.48 A$9.33
-47.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 €3.33
$9.54 A$13.72
-60.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$1.43 A$2.05
-18.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 €1.66
$2.10 A$3.03
-11.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.54 €1.37
$1.78 A$2.57
-13.48%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.61
$5.10 A$7.33
-20.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 €11.49
$10.17 A$14.63
26.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.90 €7.03
$8.29 A$11.94
-4.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.64 €15.69
$14.50 A$20.87
21.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.26 €2.01
$3.84 A$5.53
-41.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.75 €1.55
$3.00 A$4.32
-41.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.89 €1.68
$2.63 A$3.78
-28.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 €2.27
$6.85 A$9.86
-62.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.64
$2.49 A$3.58
-25.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$2.28 A$3.28
-13.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 €1.29
$2.43 A$3.50
-40.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.36 A$3.40
-67.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.71 €5.97
$28.22 A$40.60
-76.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.67 €5.04
$13.77 A$19.82
-58.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.22
$3.22 A$4.64
-57.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.88
$5.59 A$8.04
-62.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.32 €2.07
$2.79 A$4.02
-16.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.43 €39.52
$68.9 A$99.1
-35.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 €3.51
$4.84 A$6.97
-18.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 €0.93
$1.55 A$2.24
-32.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.15 €15.26
$27.74 A$39.92
-38.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 €1.95
$1.35 A$1.94
62.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K €30.0K
$37.6K A$54.1K
-10.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.3K €34.0K
$23.0K A$33.0K
66.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €146
$213 A$306
-22.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.48 €16.43
$28.21 A$40.59
-34.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €29.32
$45.86 A$66.0
-28.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.87 €40.80
$56.9 A$81.9
-19.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 €16.61
$17.95 A$25.83
4.07%
Cinema Ticket
$9.75 €8.67
$13.94 A$20.06
-30.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$684 €608
$1,941 A$2,793
-64.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.7K
$20.6K A$29.6K
-14.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 €92.3
$73.1 A$105
41.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 €41.09
$12.03 A$17.31
284.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.7 €88.7
$138 A$198
-27.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €111
$120 A$173
3.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,589 €1,414
$1,405 A$2,022
13.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,169 €1,040
$518 A$746
125.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,851 €2,536
$1,267 A$1,823
124.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,993 €1,773
$765 A$1,101
160.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,793 €6,932
$4,502 A$6,478
73.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,418 €3,930
$4,696 A$6,757
-5.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Alice Springs
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,600 €1,423
$4,301 A$6,189
-62.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
5.9
-34.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 19, 2026

Last update for Alice Springs: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Alice Springs
$518 55.7% $651
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$273
Alice Springs
$365 33.8% $92
Eating Out
Lisbon
$247
Alice Springs
$296 19.6% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$215
Alice Springs
$287 33.2% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$168
Alice Springs
$154 8.4% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$65
Alice Springs
$85 29.7% $19
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Alice Springs
$93 47.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in Lisbon and $1,405 in Alice Springs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alice Springs pays 169% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $83.0 in Alice Springs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $365 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇦🇺 Alice Springs
🕒 Local time
02:26 2:26 AM
11:56 11:56 AM
9 h 30 min ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
24,855
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 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 Alice Springs 16,160 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Alice Springs

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 Alice Springs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lisbon or Alice Springs?
Alice Springs wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alice Springs the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lisbon or in Alice Springs?
On paper, salaries run 169% lower in Alice Springs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lisbon compared to Alice Springs?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,589 in Lisbon versus $1,405 in Alice Springs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lisbon or in Alice Springs?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Lisbon and in Alice Springs?
Dining out is cheaper in Alice Springs – a meal for two runs $83.0 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lisbon or in Alice Springs?
At $1,798 in Alice Springs versus $2,202 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Alice Springs but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Alice Springs the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lisbon or Alice Springs?
Both work as nomad bases, but Alice Springs delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,798 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alice Springs hard to pass up.
How safe is Lisbon compared to Alice Springs?
Safety-wise, Lisbon and Alice Springs are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Alice Springs gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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