Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Assela Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Assela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lisbon versus $801 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Lisbon versus $1,236 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,272 in Lisbon versus $1,671 in Assela.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 177% more expensive than Assela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Assela is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 €13.59

$4.50 ETB 711

250.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 €53.8

$34.71 ETB 5,484

79.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.07

$6.54 ETB 1,033

61.16%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.38

$1.28 ETB 202

116.41%

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

$2.28 €1.97

$0.68 ETB 107

235.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.33

$0.43 ETB 68.0

260.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 €3.05

$0.99 ETB 156

258.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 €3.43

$3.03 ETB 479

31.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.44 ETB 228

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.32 ETB 209

34.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.21 ETB 349

-19.91%

Eggs

$3.12 €2.69

$2.40 ETB 380

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 €11.49

$6.96 ETB 1,100

91.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.88

$13.90 ETB 2,195

-42.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 €13.70

$13.17 ETB 2,081

20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$6.68 ETB 1,056

-65.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$0.95 ETB 150

72.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 €1.70

$2.17 ETB 343

-8.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$0.90 ETB 143

172.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.63 ETB 99.3

180.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.69

$1.90 ETB 301

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.70

$0.68 ETB 108

189.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.63 ETB 99.4

26.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.63

$4.02 ETB 634

62.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 €4.95

$5.63 ETB 890

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.05 ETB 166

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 €2.57

$1.82 ETB 288

64.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 €2.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.85 €39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 €3.66

$1.43 ETB 225

197.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.27 ETB 42.50

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.86 €16.24

$2.06 ETB 325

815.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.31 ETB 206

58.02%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$55.7K ETB 8.8M

-36.78%

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

$38.6K €33.2K

$52.9K ETB 8.4M

-26.97%

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

$151 €130

$161 ETB 25.4K

-5.87%

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

$20.91 €18.00

$12.10 ETB 1,911

72.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 €34.05

$128 ETB 20.2K

-69.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 €41.67

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.61 €16.02

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 €7.79

$5.82 ETB 920

55.33%

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

$610 €525

$80.5 ETB 12.7K

657.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$39.7K ETB 6.3M

-58.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.2

$47.46 ETB 7,498

113.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.58 €34.94

$74.7 ETB 11.8K

-45.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 €80.1

$91.1 ETB 14.4K

2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$112 ETB 17.7K

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 €1,380

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 €1,067

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 €2,599

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 €1,775

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,981 €6,872

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,533 €3,903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,628 €1,402

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-77.59%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 15, 2026

Last update for Assela: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $62.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $264 per month, with Assela 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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 177% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,325 in Lisbon and $1,201 in Assela 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.

Childcare runs $610 in Lisbon versus $80.5 in Assela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $62.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $801 in Assela versus $2,217 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Assela 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 Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 177% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.