Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Atenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Atenas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $1,305 in Atenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $2,221 in Atenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $3,137 in Atenas, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 75% more than Atenas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Atenas is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.74

$8.84 ₡3,976

78.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.3

$52.7 ₡23.7K

20.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.11

$10.24 ₡4,608

2.05%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.54

$3.76 ₡1,690

-22.61%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$2.07 ₡933

10.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.60 ₡721

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.11

$3.07 ₡1,380

15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.46

$4.54 ₡2,042

-12.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.98 ₡891

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.86 ₡1,289

-38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.94 ₡872

-12.37%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.83

$2.98 ₡1,342

9.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$10.04 ₡4,518

31.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.72

$8.78 ₡3,951

-12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.75

$9.55 ₡4,299

65.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$4.04 ₡1,817

-43.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.51 ₡677

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.41 ₡1,086

-16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.16

$2.24 ₡1,009

10.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.56

$3.46 ₡1,558

-48.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.80

$2.41 ₡1,086

-14.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.03 ₡465

91.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.73

$2.93 ₡1,317

-71.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.71

$5.28 ₡2,377

24.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.85

$19.04 ₡8,567

-70.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$2.40 ₡1,082

-44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.62

$2.40 ₡1,081

25.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.94 ₡871

17.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.85 ₡833

128.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.87 ₡840

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.41

$7.87 ₡3,540

139.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.41 ₡635

43.26%

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

$35.0K €30.5K

$37.9K ₡17.1M

-7.84%

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

$39.6K €34.6K

$32.3K ₡14.5M

22.65%

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

$148 €129

$94.2 ₡42.4K

57.09%

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

$20.52 €17.89

$26.02 ₡11.7K

-21.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.46

$47.33 ₡21.3K

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €42.00

$40.51 ₡18.2K

18.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €16.03

$9.69 ₡4,362

89.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.93

$8.36 ₡3,761

8.85%

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

$615 €536

$561 ₡252.6K

9.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.2K

$6,006 ₡2.7M

171.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.6

$62.0 ₡27.9K

63.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.69

$49.97 ₡22.5K

-15.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €80.5

$120 ₡53.9K

-22.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$108 ₡48.5K

13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,405

$539 ₡242.5K

199.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,093

$406 ₡182.5K

209.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,676

$1,359 ₡611.3K

125.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,776

$1,141 ₡513.4K

78.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,757

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,396

$1,301 ₡585.4K

23.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

10.17

-62.54%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Last update for Atenas: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $539 in Atenas. 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 23% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $53.0 in Atenas. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Lisbon vs $330 in Atenas – so Lisbon wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Atenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 75%, 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 $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $1,958 in Atenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $53.0 in Atenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Lisbon – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Atenas, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Atenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Atenas – 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 Atenas. 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.