Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Balti Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Balti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $995 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,473 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,951 in Balti, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 128% more than Balti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Balti is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$8.92 MDL 153

96.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$23.46 MDL 403

174.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.10 MDL 190

4.95%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.83 MDL 31.37

78.14%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.13 MDL 19.42

120.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.68 MDL 11.67

145.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.14 MDL 19.49

204.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$1.47 MDL 25.28

143.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.25 MDL 21.52

-5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.51 MDL 8.80

282.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.64 MDL 28.15

-4.88%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$2.32 MDL 39.81

72.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$7.03 MDL 121

88.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$4.91 MDL 84.3

71.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$6.55 MDL 112

178.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.01 MDL 17.33

129.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.29 MDL 39.34

-24.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.96 MDL 33.71

-1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.48 MDL 42.49

6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.79 MDL 13.49

140.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$0.54 MDL 9.22

290.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.48 MDL 8.22

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.56 MDL 9.62

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$3.33 MDL 57.1

110.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$4.70 MDL 80.6

25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.46 MDL 25.12

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.05 MDL 35.13

4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.33 MDL 5.74

621.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$17.12 MDL 294

169.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$2.88 MDL 49.46

45.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.25 MDL 4.24

340.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$5.78 MDL 99.1

198.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.54 MDL 26.37

46.10%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$34.4K MDL 589.9K

0.27%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$24.8K MDL 425.4K

67.90%

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

$171 €147

$234 MDL 4,023

-27.12%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$7.97 MDL 137

138.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$11.82 MDL 203

190.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$37.25 MDL 639

33.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$16.09 MDL 276

21.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$7.70 MDL 132

31.17%

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

$699 €603

$115 MDL 1,981

505.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$5,508 MDL 94.5K

222.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$45.71 MDL 784

128.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$35.11 MDL 603

36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$57.3 MDL 984

77.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$51.6 MDL 886

148.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$411 MDL 7,053

304.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$291 MDL 4,992

322.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$700 MDL 12.0K

316.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$531 MDL 9,114

280.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$1,462 MDL 25.1K

455.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$1,026 MDL 17.6K

351.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$627 MDL 10.8K

158.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

-52.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Balti: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $411 in Balti. 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 158% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $171 – making Balti 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 Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon, $995 in Balti – roughly 128% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,493 in Balti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $115 in Balti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balti, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Balti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $995 in Balti to $2,268 in Lisbon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Balti. 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.