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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $2,271 in Ballina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $3,357 in Ballina, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $4,442 in Ballina, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 2% more than Ballina, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lisbon and Ballina sit above the global median – Lisbon by 69%, Ballina by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$17.66 €15.19

-2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$69.8 €60.1

-9.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$12.61 €10.85

-9.67%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$4.04 €3.48

-21.04%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$1.61 €1.38

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.36 €1.17

29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$5.83 €5.01

-38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$7.51 €6.46

-54.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.74 €1.50

-28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.32 €2.00

-14.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.97 €1.70

-22.84%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$3.22 €2.77

25.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$14.70 €12.65

-7.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$13.24 €11.39

-36.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$17.38 €14.95

5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$3.43 €2.95

-33.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.62 €1.39

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$3.47 €2.98

-46.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$4.88 €4.20

-46.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.46 €2.12

-21.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.84 €1.58

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$2.17 €1.87

-61.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$21.07 €18.13

-67.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$10.28 €8.84

-44.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$4.28 €3.69

-67.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$3.75 €3.22

-40.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$5.79 €4.98

-58.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

$137 €118

-65.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$5.39 €4.64

-22.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.53 €1.32

-25.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$34.73 €29.88

-49.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.09 €1.79

11.00%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$35.4K €30.5K

-0.25%

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

$41.4K €35.7K

$39.6K €34.0K

4.76%

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

$170 €147

$251 €216

-32.09%

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

$19.34 €16.64

$22.99 €19.78

-15.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$40.26 €34.64

-16.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$53.1 €45.71

-9.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$11.57 €9.95

72.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$12.80 €11.01

-22.50%

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

$717 €617

$1,098 €944

-34.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$5,510 €4,741

217.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$99.2 €85.4

5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$43.90 €37.78

6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$107 €92.0

-3.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$116 €99.8

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$941 €810

78.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$888 €764

43.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$1,347 €1,159

121.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$1,380 €1,187

44.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$3,539 €3,046

121.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$2,931 €2,522

58.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$3,432 €2,953

-53.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

4.14

-8.45%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ballina: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $941 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 117% higher in Ballina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $70.0 in Ballina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $381 – 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

Lisbon costs about 2% more than Ballina, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $3,407 in Ballina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 193% less in Ballina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $717 per month in Lisbon and $1,098 in Ballina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ballina, where all-in costs run around $2,271, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Ballina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ballina costs $2,271 versus $2,316 in Lisbon. 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 Ballina. 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.