Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Benalmadena

For one person, living is cheaper in Benalmadena: $1,849 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Benalmadena, Spain
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Benalmadena
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,849
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Benalmadena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Benalmadena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,849 in Benalmadena, rent included.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Benalmadena $1,849

A couple spends around $3,275 per month in Lisbon vs $2,778 in Benalmadena, rent included.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Benalmadena $2,778

A family of three spends $4,341 per month in Lisbon vs $3,707 in Benalmadena, rent included.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Benalmadena $3,707

Lisbon costs about 20% more than Benalmadena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lisbon and Benalmadena sit above the global median – Lisbon by 62%, Benalmadena by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.92
$14.63 €13.11
13.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.3
$67.7 €60.6
-8.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.18
$9.37 €8.40
21.24%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.66
$2.17 €1.95
36.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.13 €1.90
7.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$2.11 €1.89
-17.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.05
$3.25 €2.92
4.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$4.40 €3.94
-24.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.23 €1.10
-5.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.71
$1.66 €1.49
15.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.82 €1.63
-17.03%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.60
$3.32 €2.97
21.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.59
$15.32 €13.73
-15.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.97
$8.17 €7.32
-4.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.92
$16.17 €14.49
9.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.06
$2.56 €2.29
-10.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.89 €1.70
-8.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.66
$1.80 €1.62
3.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.45 €2.20
5.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.63
$1.85 €1.66
-1.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.05 €1.84
-3.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$1.44 €1.29
2.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.74 €0.66
-2.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.90
$6.42 €5.75
2.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.02
$6.83 €6.12
-17.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.18 €1.06
15.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.99 €1.78
7.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.09
$2.02 €1.81
15.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.04
$30.41 €27.25
46.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.45
$1.91 €1.71
101.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$1.21 €1.09
-11.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.75
$22.35 €20.02
-26.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.83 €1.64
20.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.6K
$34.2K €30.6K
0.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.7K
$30.9K €27.7K
25.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €144
$140 €125
15.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.50
$12.85 €11.51
43.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.34
$32.12 €28.78
1.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €39.92
$48.94 €43.86
-8.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.11
$15.68 €14.05
21.81%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.60
$7.99 €7.16
20.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €598
$566 €507
18.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$9,540 €8,549
84.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$89.3 €80.1
14.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.85
$39.33 €35.24
13.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.3
$95.9 €85.9
2.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$114 €102
8.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,441
$945 €847
70.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,066
$910 €816
30.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,520
$1,680 €1,505
67.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,804
$1,504 €1,347
33.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,025
$4,126 €3,697
90.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,100
$3,499 €3,136
30.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Benalmadena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,411
$3,882 €3,479
-59.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.3
16.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Benalmadena: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Benalmadena
$910 23.5% $280
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Benalmadena
$276 1.4% $3.9
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Benalmadena
$213 12.1% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Benalmadena
$185 12.9% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Benalmadena
$152 8.2% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Benalmadena
$65 1.9% $1.2
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Benalmadena
$46 26.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,608 in Lisbon versus $945 in Benalmadena. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Benalmadena are about 2.5 times higher, 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 $62 in Lisbon versus $68 in Benalmadena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $276 – making Lisbon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇪🇸 Benalmadena
🕒 Local time
02:38 2:38 AM
03:38 3:38 AM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
75,801
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Benalmadena 470 km
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Benalmadena

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Benalmadena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benalmadena cheaper than Lisbon?
Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $2,773 in Benalmadena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Benalmadena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $945 there versus $1,608 in Lisbon.
Is eating out cheaper in Lisbon or in Benalmadena?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Lisbon and $68 in Benalmadena. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 32% less in Benalmadena. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough for either Lisbon or Benalmadena?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,210 in Lisbon and $1,849 in Benalmadena, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Lisbon or Benalmadena more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Benalmadena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Lisbon or Benalmadena?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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