Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Apia Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Apia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $999 in Apia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,575 in Apia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $4,152 in Apia.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 121% more expensive than Apia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Apia is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.80

$52.6 WST 144

-69.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €56.2

$35.09 WST 96.3

84.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.11

$13.93 WST 38.23

-24.55%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.49

$2.50 WST 6.85

14.80%

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

$2.24 €1.95

$2.09 WST 5.74

7.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.25 WST 3.44

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.03

$4.39 WST 12.04

-20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.37

$3.56 WST 9.78

8.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.75 WST 4.79

-34.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.78 WST 2.14

124.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.75 WST 4.80

0.57%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.79

$4.15 WST 11.38

-22.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.70

$0.85 WST 2.32

1487.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.86

$3.59 WST 9.86

120.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.77

$8.25 WST 22.64

92.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €2.00

$5.07 WST 13.91

-54.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.76 WST 4.83

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.81 WST 4.97

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$4.31 WST 11.82

-42.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.60

$3.52 WST 9.67

-47.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.06 WST 2.90

88.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.15 WST 3.16

-31.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.73

$6.14 WST 16.85

7.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.96

$16.12 WST 44.23

-64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.76 WST 4.84

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.58

$3.61 WST 9.90

-17.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.06

$3.51 WST 9.63

-32.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.51

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.72

$5.27 WST 14.46

-18.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.87

$21.63 WST 59.4

-15.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.79

$1.06 WST 2.91

94.34%

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

$34.3K €29.7K

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

$39.3K €34.1K

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

$148 €128

$17.78 WST 48.78

731.66%

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

$20.52 €17.79

$17.72 WST 48.63

15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.35

$36.31 WST 99.6

9.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.49

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.41

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.96

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

$614 €532

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.8

$50.2 WST 138

108.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.47

$40.75 WST 112

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €81.5

$74.0 WST 203

26.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €104

$102 WST 279

17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,412

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,089

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,628

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,752

$1,849 WST 5,073

9.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,764

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,705

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,391

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Apia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Apia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $234 per month, with Apia 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 Apia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Apia wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Apia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,498 in Apia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $999 in Apia – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $999 in Apia versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Apia but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Apia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Apia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $999 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Apia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Apia 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 Apia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.