Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Balikpapan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Balikpapan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $790 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,188 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,585 in Balikpapan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 186% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Balikpapan is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

915.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$15.44 Rp 276.6K

310.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$3.40 Rp 60.9K

205.29%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

56.74%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$0.41 Rp 7,283

470.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.42 Rp 7,440

273.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

75.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

30.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.82 Rp 32.5K

-40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

37.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

29.55%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

13.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$8.32 Rp 149.0K

64.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$4.97 Rp 89.0K

61.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$7.85 Rp 140.6K

97.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$3.80 Rp 68.0K

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

102.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

-4.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.66 Rp 65.6K

-45.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

109.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.09 Rp 37.5K

224.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$21.13 Rp 378.6K

-73.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$2.16 Rp 38.7K

-35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$4.32 Rp 77.5K

-30.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

284.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$9.60 Rp 172.0K

373.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

257.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.37 Rp 6,671

129.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.23 Rp 111.5K

193.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

168.92%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$24.7K Rp 441.8M

42.08%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$25.8K Rp 462.3M

53.26%

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

$146 €126

$91.0 Rp 1.6M

60.66%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$3.09 Rp 55.3K

561.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$31.94 Rp 572.2K

22.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$21.58 Rp 386.6K

126.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

$6.17 Rp 110.6K

205.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$3.16 Rp 56.5K

201.27%

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

$608 €524

$60.9 Rp 1.1M

898.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$7,560 Rp 135.4M

118.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$41.36 Rp 741.0K

151.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$20.79 Rp 372.5K

102.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$125 Rp 2.2M

-26.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$122 Rp 2.2M

-2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$218 Rp 3.9M

644.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$156 Rp 2.8M

714.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$493 Rp 8.8M

518.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$310 Rp 5.6M

547.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,135 Rp 20.3M

575.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$625 Rp 11.2M

592.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$195 Rp 3.5M

712.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-74.60%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $218 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 712% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $15.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $252 per month, with Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Balikpapan differ by about 186% in total monthly costs ($2,263 vs $790 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lisbon pays 712% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $218 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 373% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $608 in Lisbon versus $60.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $790 in Balikpapan versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 186% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.