Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Blenheim Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Blenheim

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $1,542 in Blenheim, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $2,530 in Blenheim, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $3,517 in Blenheim, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 44% more than Blenheim, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lisbon and Blenheim sit above the global median – Lisbon by 66%, Blenheim by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$17.15 NZ$29.33

-5.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$73.3 NZ$125

-11.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.44 NZ$14.44

22.99%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$3.41 NZ$5.84

-18.77%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-5.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.99 NZ$3.41

-21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$5.88 NZ$10.05

-40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$7.42 NZ$12.69

-46.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.83 NZ$3.13

-40.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.64 NZ$2.80

6.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.49 NZ$2.55

16.78%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$5.81 NZ$9.93

-45.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.82 NZ$13.37

71.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$6.49 NZ$11.10

23.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$12.99 NZ$22.22

23.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.07 NZ$5.24

-25.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.76 NZ$3.02

-2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.80 NZ$4.79

-30.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$5.73 NZ$9.79

-55.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.88 NZ$3.21

-2.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.31 NZ$3.94

-11.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.47 NZ$2.51

-42.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$24.04 NZ$41.10

-71.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$9.04 NZ$15.45

-36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.49 NZ$2.55

-8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.84 NZ$3.15

57.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$3.05 NZ$5.22

-25.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$119 NZ$204

-60.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$2.73 NZ$4.67

49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.15 NZ$1.97

-28.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$30.35 NZ$51.9

-39.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.65 NZ$2.82

21.82%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$17.8K NZ$30.4K

98.47%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$15.4K NZ$26.3K

149.92%

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

$145 €124

$58.3 NZ$99.7

149.27%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$31.84 NZ$54.4

-34.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$50.2 NZ$85.9

-20.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$31.30 NZ$53.5

55.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$4.89 NZ$8.36

282.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$11.19 NZ$19.14

-19.03%

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

$607 €519

$478 NZ$818

26.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$9,427 NZ$16.1K

73.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$38.16 NZ$65.3

174.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$30.12 NZ$51.5

35.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$94.0 NZ$161

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$72.6 NZ$124

63.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$712 NZ$1,218

125.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$564 NZ$965

119.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$1,048 NZ$1,793

190.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$1,108 NZ$1,895

85.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$3,552 NZ$6,073

117.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$3,378 NZ$5,777

26.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$2,612 NZ$4,466

-39.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.74

-43.47%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Blenheim: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $712 in Blenheim. 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 65% higher in Blenheim, 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $73.0 in Blenheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $291 – 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 Blenheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $2,313 in Blenheim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,227 in Lisbon and $1,542 in Blenheim. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 155% less in Blenheim. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Blenheim, where all-in costs run around $1,542, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Blenheim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Blenheim – 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 Blenheim. 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.