Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arklow Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arklow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $1,304 in Arklow, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $2,136 in Arklow, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $2,969 in Arklow, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 76% more than Arklow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 68% above the global median, while Arklow is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$21.83 €19.03

-19.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$91.0 €79.3

-30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$11.35 €9.90

2.03%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$4.17 €3.63

-25.66%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$3.00 €2.62

-17.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$2.34 €2.04

-25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$5.61 €4.89

-37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$5.57 €4.86

-38.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.77 €1.54

-35.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$2.41 €2.10

-20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.89 €1.65

-20.63%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$4.64 €4.05

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$14.61 €12.74

-9.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$13.66 €11.91

-41.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$17.34 €15.11

4.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.27 €2.85

-28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$3.06 €2.66

-42.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$3.44 €3.00

-46.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$5.06 €4.41

-49.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.44 €2.12

-24.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.89 €1.64

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.44 €1.26

3.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$2.19 €1.91

-62.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$20.39 €17.78

-65.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$13.88 €12.10

-57.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$4.19 €3.65

-68.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.72 €3.24

-42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$5.40 €4.71

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.53 €1.33

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$33.46 €29.17

-48.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.15 €1.87

7.44%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$40.3K €35.1K

-15.23%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$38.5K €33.6K

7.39%

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

$169 €147

$249 €217

-32.42%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$22.56 €19.67

-14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$56.9 €49.63

-41.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

$45.90 €40.01

6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$13.79 €12.02

-30.60%

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

$696 €607

$1,102 €960

-36.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$5,455 €4,755

218.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$96.9 €84.5

8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$44.90 €39.14

6.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$107 €93.4

-6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$122 €106

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

$4,939 €4,306

-66.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

4.14

-8.70%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Arklow: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 203% higher in Arklow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $91.0 in Arklow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $405 – making Lisbon 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 Arklow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,296 in Lisbon, $1,304 in Arklow – roughly 76% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $1,956 in Arklow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $91.0 in Arklow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 46% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arklow, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Lisbon at $2,296. In Arklow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,304 in Arklow to $2,296 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arklow. 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.