Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bonao Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Bonao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $687 in Bonao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,097 in Bonao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,506 in Bonao.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 233% more expensive than in Bonao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Bonao is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$5.57 DOP 325

190.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$26.71 DOP 1,557

137.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.02 DOP 292

105.58%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.99 DOP 116

42.21%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.99 DOP 57.7

131.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.77 DOP 45.15

105.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.32 DOP 135

46.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$3.08 DOP 179

30.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.33 DOP 77.4

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.44 DOP 84.1

21.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.88 DOP 51.3

100.00%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.53 DOP 89.0

107.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$7.12 DOP 415

85.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$5.71 DOP 333

39.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.95 DOP 638

41.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.29 DOP 133

3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$0.59 DOP 34.52

189.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.24 DOP 131

-10.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.32 DOP 77.1

84.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.18 DOP 127

-19.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.13 DOP 66.2

79.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.77 DOP 44.89

149.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.58 DOP 33.64

46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$5.73 DOP 334

14.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$7.42 DOP 433

-24.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$2.50 DOP 146

-46.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.16 DOP 184

-6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.53 DOP 31.02

330.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

$27.27 DOP 1,590

67.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.33 DOP 194

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$2.18 DOP 127

-62.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$2.42 DOP 141

661.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.25 DOP 72.8

66.40%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

28.94%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$31.3K DOP 1.8M

24.91%

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

$148 €130

$75.2 DOP 4,384

96.90%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$25.72 DOP 1,499

-20.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$33.44 DOP 1,950

18.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$16.78 DOP 979

186.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$2.59 DOP 151

255.98%

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

$616 €539

$271 DOP 15.8K

127.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$8,023 DOP 467.8K

104.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$60.8 DOP 3,545

68.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$50.8 DOP 2,964

-17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$34.40 DOP 2,006

175.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$34.57 DOP 2,016

252.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$144 DOP 8,401

1033.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$100 DOP 5,852

1128.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$289 DOP 16.8K

973.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$214 DOP 12.5K

847.34%

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

-68.25%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bonao: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $144 in Bonao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $27.00 in Bonao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $203 per month, with Bonao cheaper across the board.

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 Bonao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Bonao differ by about 233% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $687 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,437 in Lisbon and $1,031 in Bonao to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $144 in Bonao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $616 in Lisbon versus $271 in Bonao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $687 in Bonao versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Bonao are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.