Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bender Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bender

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $681 in Bender, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,052 in Bender, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,424 in Bender, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 237% more than Bender, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Bender is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$8.57 MDL 149

88.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$17.87 MDL 311

254.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.87 MDL 102

75.81%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.11 MDL 19.30

154.95%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.91 MDL 15.78

151.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.54 MDL 9.39

192.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$0.96 MDL 16.80

254.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.00 MDL 34.88

101.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.91 MDL 15.78

19.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.51 MDL 8.81

243.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.51 MDL 26.22

16.56%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.89 MDL 32.98

67.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$4.18 MDL 72.8

215.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.32 MDL 75.1

84.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$5.22 MDL 90.9

197.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$0.76 MDL 13.24

211.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.76 MDL 30.60

-2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.69 MDL 29.44

18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.62 MDL 28.27

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.78 MDL 13.55

125.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.58 MDL 10.17

250.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.31 MDL 22.76

46.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.79 MDL 13.81

7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$2.89 MDL 50.4

127.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$2.59 MDL 45.12

115.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.72 MDL 12.48

84.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.56 MDL 27.19

90.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.36 MDL 6.33

533.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$4.17 MDL 72.5

998.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$1.09 MDL 18.97

288.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.25 MDL 4.34

224.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$1.16 MDL 20.13

1489.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.37 MDL 23.78

51.82%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$17.5K MDL 304.1K

98.45%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$17.8K MDL 310.1K

119.82%

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

$148 €130

$171 MDL 2,982

-13.56%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$7.73 MDL 135

164.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$8.29 MDL 144

377.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$23.56 MDL 410

103.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$2.31 MDL 40.16

299.13%

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

$616 €539

$385 MDL 6,711

59.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$7,689 MDL 133.9K

113.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$11.76 MDL 205

773.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$26.08 MDL 454

60.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$112 MDL 1,945

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$121 MDL 2,107

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$226 MDL 3,941

621.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$97.2 MDL 1,691

1168.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$306 MDL 5,336

910.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$224 MDL 3,904

805.82%

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

$322 MDL 5,609

398.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

9.24

-58.77%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bender: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $226 in Bender. 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 399% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $18.00 in Bender. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $137 – making Bender 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 Bender: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 237%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,021 in Bender. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 998% less in Bender. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $385 in Bender. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $681, than in Lisbon at $2,291. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bender – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bender. 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.