Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Benares Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Benares

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $987 in Benares, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,599 in Benares, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $2,212 in Benares, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 132% more than Benares, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Benares is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$6.64 MUR 312

143.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$44.59 MUR 2,095

42.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$6.51 MUR 306

58.53%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.68 MUR 126

5.60%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.01 MUR 47.27

126.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.57 MUR 26.71

177.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.10 MUR 98.5

61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.78 MUR 130

44.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.49 MUR 70.1

-26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.71 MUR 33.14

146.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.31 MUR 61.7

34.35%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.23 MUR 105

42.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$10.11 MUR 475

30.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$6.17 MUR 290

29.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.58 MUR 497

46.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.06 MUR 97.0

15.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.97 MUR 92.8

-13.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.43 MUR 67.3

40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$2.61 MUR 122

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.97 MUR 45.64

81.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.98 MUR 46.18

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.83 MUR 39.18

131.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.56 MUR 26.51

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.94 MUR 279

10.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$8.62 MUR 405

-35.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.72 MUR 80.6

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.10 MUR 98.6

41.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.01 MUR 47.27

125.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$4.51 MUR 212

-6.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.72 MUR 128

-70.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$15.70 MUR 737

17.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.40 MUR 65.7

48.57%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$35.2K MUR 1.7M

-1.39%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

35.20%

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

$148 €130

$49.88 MUR 2,343

196.81%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$18.53 MUR 871

10.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$32.73 MUR 1,538

20.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$37.90 MUR 1,780

26.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$6.11 MUR 287

50.90%

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

$616 €539

$155 MUR 7,283

297.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$3,916 MUR 184.0K

319.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$49.98 MUR 2,348

105.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$43.45 MUR 2,042

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$84.0 MUR 3,946

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$78.3 MUR 3,677

55.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$509 MUR 23.9K

220.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$357 MUR 16.8K

245.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$934 MUR 43.9K

231.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$720 MUR 33.8K

182.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.25

-39.04%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Benares: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $509 in Benares. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $45.00 in Benares. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $215 – making Benares 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 Benares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon, $987 in Benares – roughly 132% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,480 in Benares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon and $45.00 in Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 Benares, where all-in costs run around $987, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Benares has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $987 in Benares to $2,291 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 Benares. 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.