Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ballina Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Ballina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $2,544 in Ballina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $3,687 in Ballina, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $4,829 in Ballina, rent included.

Lisbon is about 13% cheaper than Ballina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lisbon and Ballina sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Ballina by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$17.39 €14.96

-8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$70.3 €60.5

-7.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$12.60 €10.84

-16.59%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$3.96 €3.41

-27.53%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.60 €1.37

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.31 €1.13

14.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.87 €5.05

-40.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$6.87 €5.91

-43.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.68 €1.45

-32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.02 €1.74

-13.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.09 €1.79

-15.79%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.09 €2.66

4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$11.34 €9.75

18.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$11.33 €9.75

-30.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$13.93 €11.98

13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.31 €2.85

-30.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.63 €1.40

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.97 €2.56

-32.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$5.40 €4.64

-54.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.21 €1.90

-16.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.76 €1.51

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.30 €1.12

48.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$2.03 €1.74

-61.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$20.35 €17.51

-67.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$10.34 €8.89

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$3.65 €3.14

-62.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$4.03 €3.47

-26.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.48 €2.13

-4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$98.5 €84.7

-53.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$4.96 €4.26

-13.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$2.79 €2.40

-70.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$38.48 €33.10

-52.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.03 €1.74

1.48%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$36.4K €31.3K

-5.83%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$37.8K €32.5K

4.06%

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

$148 €127

$282 €242

-47.50%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$23.66 €20.36

-13.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$40.64 €34.96

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$51.6 €44.39

-7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$12.89 €11.09

-28.78%

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

$614 €528

$1,363 €1,172

-54.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$9,635 €8,288

66.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$107 €92.4

-2.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$49.04 €42.18

-14.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$116 €100

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$117 €101

2.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$1,485 €1,278

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$1,245 €1,071

0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,366 €2,035

28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,957 €1,684

3.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$3,507 €3,017

122.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$2,942 €2,531

45.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$3,366 €2,895

-52.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.04

-5.69%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ballina: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $1,485 in Ballina. 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 110% higher in Ballina, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $70.0 in Ballina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $342 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ballina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballina costs about 15% more than Lisbon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $3,816 in Ballina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 116% less in Lisbon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $1,363 in Ballina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lisbon, where all-in costs run around $2,210, than in Ballina at $2,544. In Lisbon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lisbon costs $2,210 versus $2,544 in Ballina. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Lisbon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ballina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.