Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arue Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arue

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $1,063 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $1,551 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $2,039 in Arue.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 108% more expensive than Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Arue is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

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

$2.24 €1.93

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.40 CFPF 143

-18.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$4.96 CFPF 506

-64.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.82 CFPF 391

-53.93%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$11.58 CFPF 1,183

-72.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$57.7 CFPF 5,895

-76.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$27.32 CFPF 2,790

-71.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$24.66 CFPF 2,519

-35.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$5.27 CFPF 539

-56.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.97 CFPF 304

-42.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$7.99 CFPF 816

-74.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$8.66 CFPF 885

-71.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$4.34 CFPF 444

-57.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$2.89 CFPF 295

-30.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$3.80 CFPF 388

-49.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.48 CFPF 151

-46.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$12.07 CFPF 1,233

-45.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$29.51 CFPF 3,015

-80.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$2.95 CFPF 301

-53.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$7.99 CFPF 816

-62.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

$167 CFPF 17.1K

-11.56%

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

$20.52 €17.65

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$124 CFPF 12.7K

-68.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

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 Arue: May 31, 2026

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 Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arue wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $1,594 in Arue 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.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 186% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $1,063 in Arue – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Arue versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arue but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Arue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,063 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arue hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Arue 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 Arue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.