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: $2,227 in Lisbon versus $810 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,305 in Lisbon versus $1,241 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,384 in Lisbon versus $1,671 in Assela.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 175% more expensive than Assela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 66% above, Assela is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$4.45 ETB 696

263.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$34.91 ETB 5,457

84.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$6.45 ETB 1,008

60.93%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.27 ETB 199

118.11%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.63 ETB 98.3

257.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.47 ETB 73.7

234.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$0.98 ETB 153

256.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$2.92 ETB 457

36.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.44 ETB 225

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.33 ETB 208

30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.13 ETB 333

-18.31%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.47 ETB 387

28.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$6.94 ETB 1,085

93.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$13.57 ETB 2,121

-41.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$13.14 ETB 2,054

22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$6.55 ETB 1,024

-65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.97 ETB 152

77.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.23 ETB 349

-13.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$0.98 ETB 154

159.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.69 ETB 108

165.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.84 ETB 288

10.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.70 ETB 109

182.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.67 ETB 105

26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.89 ETB 609

76.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$5.74 ETB 898

0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$0.99 ETB 155

38.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.92 ETB 301

51.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.42 ETB 222

187.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.29 ETB 45.39

182.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$1.96 ETB 306

832.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.29 ETB 202

55.81%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$54.4K ETB 8.5M

-35.14%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$53.4K ETB 8.3M

-27.92%

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

$145 €124

$157 ETB 24.5K

-7.16%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$12.19 ETB 1,905

71.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$128 ETB 20.0K

-68.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.74 ETB 897

57.84%

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

$607 €519

$80.1 ETB 12.5K

656.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$40.2K ETB 6.3M

-59.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$46.86 ETB 7,324

123.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$76.3 ETB 11.9K

-46.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$92.7 ETB 14.5K

0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$113 ETB 17.7K

4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Assela: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $35.00 in Assela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 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 175% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,341 in Lisbon and $1,215 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 $607 in Lisbon versus $80.1 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $810 in Assela versus $2,227 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 175% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.