Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arta Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,435 in Arta, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,094 in Arta, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $2,753 in Arta, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 58% more than Arta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Arta sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Arta by 4%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$11.80 €10.17

48.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$45.83 €39.51

40.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$10.62 €9.16

9.70%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$4.26 €3.67

-23.47%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.92 €2.51

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.59 €0.51

183.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.66 €4.88

-38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$6.35 €5.47

-43.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.25 €1.07

-5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.18 €1.01

65.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$0.91 €0.79

71.43%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$3.59 €3.10

11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$14.20 €12.24

-6.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$11.18 €9.64

-24.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$11.50 €9.91

58.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.04 €0.89

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.29 €1.11

34.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.25 €1.07

54.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.07 €0.93

146.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.25 €1.07

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.15 €0.99

83.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.82 €0.71

75.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.16 €0.13

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$5.17 €4.45

35.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.73 €4.08

25.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.90 €0.77

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.27 €1.95

-5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.35 €1.16

76.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$48.44 €41.75

-4.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$4.18 €3.60

0.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.11 €0.96

-0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$17.18 €14.81

0.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$2.10 €1.81

7.14%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$29.4K €25.4K

17.05%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$31.6K €27.2K

31.85%

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

$171 €147

$233 €200

-26.51%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$24.26 €20.91

-21.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$25.07 €21.61

36.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$52.6 €45.35

-5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$26.27 €22.65

-25.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$10.35 €8.93

-2.42%

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

$699 €603

$496 €428

40.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$9,222 €7,950

92.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$94.0 €81.0

11.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$29.20 €25.17

64.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$81.7 €70.4

24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$91.5 €78.9

40.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$508 €438

226.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$407 €351

201.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$771 €665

278.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$657 €566

208.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$2,920 €2,517

178.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$2,421 €2,087

91.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$912 €786

77.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

5.65

-33.10%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Arta: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $508 in Arta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 78% higher in Lisbon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $46.00 in Arta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $228 – making Arta 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 Arta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,152 in Arta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $496 in Arta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Arta, where all-in costs run around $1,435, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Arta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Arta. 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.